COVID-19: strategies for positioning the university library in support of e-learning

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the various innovative support strategies rendered by academic libraries in support of e-learning in Zimbabwean universities. This was necessitated by the change in nature of learning and services provision in universities as a result of COVID-19. Despite the crisis caused by the pandemic, users of libraries still expect services to answer their information needs. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative study was done to unpack the role of digital library services in supporting e-learning in universities in Zimbabwe. An online questionnaire was developed using survey monkey and distributed to 50 professional librarians in both private and state universities in Zimbabwe. A total of 34 librarians responded to the questionnaire and the data was analysed and presented thematically. Data were presented using descriptive statistics in the form of figures. Findings The findings revealed that academic libraries play an important role in supporting e-learning in higher education institutions by providing electronic information resources, which are key in research, learning and teaching. The libraries provide a one-stop shop for accessing electronic resources through the digital library. Patrons have benefitted by accessing and using digital library services during the COVID-19 lockdown period. It was also discovered that libraries should ensure that they are prepared to always offer their services despite the closure of physical buildings because of the pandemic. Research limitations/implications The study used an online questionnaire only as the data collection instrument, as it was the most suitable one to get data from librarians working from home and also because of the COVID-19 health guidance such as maintaining social distance. The other methods were not used because of financial constraints. Practical implications This research showed the importance of digital services in e-learning environments, especially in developing countries. The work revealed how university librarians in Zimbabwe are coming up with practical solutions in supporting e-learning in times of crisis. The research therefore becomes handy for higher education institutions and authorities in crafting e-learning frameworks and positioning academic libraries at the centre of teaching, learning and research activities. Social implications This paper provides useful insights into how libraries can support learning especially during a pandemic. The paper details how libraries support communities by offering correct and reliable information from scholarly information sources. It also chronicles how libraries play an important part in the support of researchers in higher institutions in the fight against COVID-19. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the first done in Zimbabwe on strategies that libraries are using in the COVID-19 era to support e-learning. The findings presented in this study are helpful for higher and tertiary education authorities and other policymakers in improving e-learning and digital libraries.

A Systematic Review of Library Services Provision in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Despite library closure, findings show that libraries have continued one of their core missions -supporting the educational objectives of their institutions. Results show that the majority of academic libraries in the included studies are supporting and facilitating remote access to digital contents in support of teaching and learning in universities (Carbery et al, 2020;Tsekea & Chigwada, 2020;Ishtiaq, Sehar & Shahid, 2020). More specifically, academic librarians are assisting teaching staff to upload contents on learning management systems (Tsekea & Chigwada, 2020) and providing digital services to teaching faculty and students through digital library and institutional repositories (Mehta & Wang, 2020).…”

“…One of the prominent services discussed in the included articles is research support services. Despite the lockdown, the majority of the libraries in the included studies have continued to provide many vital services such as reference services, document deliveries, literature searching and syntheses in support of the research efforts of students, faculty, and other user categories (Guo et al 2020;Howes et al, 2021;Mehta & Wang, 2020;Tsekea & Chigwada, 2020;Walsh & Rana, 2020;Weeks et al, 2020;Winata, Fadelina & Basuki, 2020). Librarians provide vital information services to support students, researchers, academics, medical and paramedical professionals with recent relevant studies, new developments in vaccine production, diagnosing procedures, and intellectual property (Guo et al, 2020;Walsh & Rana, 2020).…”

“…Librarians provide vital information services to support students, researchers, academics, medical and paramedical professionals with recent relevant studies, new developments in vaccine production, diagnosing procedures, and intellectual property (Guo et al, 2020;Walsh & Rana, 2020). Furthermore, librarians at the medical libraries in included studies are providing COVID-19 information and literature in support of the researchers, faculty and medical researchers (Dadhe & Dubey, 2020;Tsekea & Chigwada, 2020;Weeks et al, 2020).…”

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

“…Content digitization was conducted en masse, and the access to digital content is sufficient to protect copyright (Pokorná, 2020). Libraries become most important unit in providing academic information on online distance learning models in UK and Zimbabwe (Martzoukou, 2020;Tsekea, 2021). Presently, technology utilization is prioritized with future service innovations based on big data, Internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), 3D printing, and automated robots (Kim et al, 2021).…”

Expanding digital academic library and archive services at the University of Calgary in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Although users were able to access resources remotely, they still needed training and support in this process. Also, all libraries should have an emergency crisis-response plan and be prepared to offer both physical and digital services to best reach library users ( Tsekea and Chigwada, 2020 ). An academic library in Jamaica offered its tablet loaning service for extended periods and off campus to students, as well as reference services through WhatsApp ( Harris, 2021 ).…”