Following the destruction of the university library by fire in 2015, this retrospective study explores the nature of the capabilities of organisational resilience exhibited by Mzuzu University (Mzuni) as perceived by Heads of Departments (HoDs) in the university. Limited research has focused on what resilient university libraries do and how organisational resilience is achieved in practice. Eight HoDs, selected using stratified random sampling, were interviewed and data analysed using content analysis. Results reveal that the nature of organisational resilience exhibited by Mzuni lacked a proactive approach. Predominantly, Mzuni relied on unexpected, external and relational-based capabilities to improvise library services. An interplay of various organisational, individual and relational capabilities was central to the improvisation of library services. However, ambidextrous structure, culture and leadership, and the pursuit of systemic resilience are fundamental if Mzuni is to be truly resilient. The integrative framework of proactive organisational resilience proposed in this study can be used by librarians, leaders of public universities and human resources practitioners to build the composite capability of organisational resilience for the university library before adversity occurs.