Rethinking academic library space amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa: preparing for the future

Abstract

Purpose Academic libraries’ response to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic might be an opportunity to reassert and reemphasise their roles in the national disaster management matrix. The purpose of this study is to review the responses of academic libraries in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global outbreak of COVID-19 has precipitated a challenge amongst all institutions, communities and libraries as evidenced by the growing lockdowns, deaths and shocking statistics of infections. This has triggered a fundamental need to rethink how libraries can establish innovative ways to continue providing services to users. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted the interpretive research paradigm to review the situation in South Africa in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used an analysis of secondary sources, the activities that took place and personal experience to answer the research questions. Findings The analysis showed that academic libraries and publishers have risen to the occasion, offering more free content and curating personalised collections so that citizens can have uninterrupted access to content and learning. The digital libraries in South Africa are considered vital alleyways to high-quality e-books, journals and educational content, including open educational resources. Digital library services have enabled academic libraries in South Africa to excel in providing online services, therefore ensuring that learning, research and teaching continued. Originality/value This study, using Habermas’s idea of the public sphere as a fundamental theoretical framework, notes that when the physical space is closed, it is necessary for academic libraries in South Africa to make use of the digital space. This study will contribute to the corpus of knowledge relating to South African digital libraries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 impact on the Chinese top academic libraries: Libraries' response to space, collection and services

“…The digital era provides numerous opportunities for developing innovative services, giving access to a wide range of information resources, and promoting online service delivery, such as the digital library and digital space ( Chisita & Chizoma, 2021 ; Vassilakaki & Moniarou-Papaconstantinou, 2021 ), e-resources on-and off-campus access, virtual reference services ( Abubakar, 2021 ; Mu et al, 2011 ), information literacy instructions ( Guo & Huang, 2021 ; Guo & Zhu, 2019 ; Huang et al, 2016 ) and other online activities (e.g., reading promotion) through a website portal, social media, and e-learning and conference platforms, etc. The transition to digital services had been occurring.…”

“…Additionally, there is a dearth of literature on how libraries have responded to these specific transformations, including physical space service, collection development, and various service and programme offerings, and whether this has resulted in a significant shift in the direction of services. Facing the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, academic libraries in different countries have been exploring how to cope with the situation (e.g., Brine & Knight, 2021 ; Chisita & Chizoma, 2021 ; Farne et al, 2021 ). However, there has not yet been a systematic recording of the service responses and changes made in China.…”

Digital Libraries during Covid-19 Pandemic: A Bibliometric Analysis and Information Mapping

“…The transformation of library services has shifted to virtual and digital (online) trends (Hendal, 2020;Mbambo-Thata, 2021;Tammaro, 2020;Temiz, 2020;Winata, 2021), and showed higher stability (Balasubrahmanyan, 2021). Furthermore, digital library provides legal information services on COVID-19 (Peruginelli, 2021), offers more free content, obtains personal collections, and provides open online services to ensure continuous learning, research, and teaching (Chisita, 2021). The pandemic has also encouraged faculty and student involvement in academic activities through digital resources (Macchia, 2021).…”

COVID-19 information seeking and utilization among library and information science professionals in Nigeria

“…He discovered that government mandates, university mandates and the absence of a vaccine influenced academic libraries' response; the measures implemented, although unplanned and developed on the hoof, constituted a behavioural change model; and COVID-19 has had both a positive and negative impact on library people, places, products and services, which has created a new normal for Jamaican academic libraries. Chisita and Chizoma (2021) carried out a review of the responses of academic libraries in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. They used an analysis of secondary sources, the activities that took place and personal experiences to answer the research questions.…”

“…Chisita and Chizoma (2021) carried out a review of the responses of academic libraries in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. They used an analysis of secondary sources, the activities that took place and personal experiences to answer the research questions.…”