Research Article

LIBRARY ACCESS POLICIES POST COVID-

COVID-19
PANDEMIC
By MOUSUMI SAMANTA1

Visiting Researcher, Central Library

Jadavpur University

ABSTRACT
The Covid-19 Pandemic has resulted in extraordinary situations where global
economies have been shut down using lockdown procedure to prevent the
spread of this disease. Libraries have responded to this extraordinary
situation by offering their services online through digital access yet remaining
closed to the public. The purpose of this short article is to discuss on the issue
of post pandemic re-opening of libraries and what measures they should be
taking to prevent re-infection and spread of viral diseases like Covid-19.

Keywords: Covid-19 Pandemic, libraries, lockdown, online access, library

staff, digital documentation, sanitization methods.

1. Introduction

What special precautions libraries should take up against Covid-19

infection when they will be reopening after lockdowns? It is now
presumed that countries most affected by Covid-19 Pandemic also
had to suffer the brunt of lockdowns. Total shut down of the
economy and social systems have been mandated to enforce social
distancing by isolation that check gathering of people [7]. This is
done to stop the spread of Covid-19 infection which is highly
contagious. These strategic actions might have negative financial
benefits but have social and community-wide implications in the
long run [7, 8]. In this paper, I examine the steps libraries have
taken to combat Covid-19 pandemic and the measures they should
adopt when libraries are likely to reopen after lifting of lockdowns

1 Email: mousumisamanta0@gmail.com

Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3610042

[2, 5].
I also discuss about any library access policies that libraries
should adopt post Covid-19 pandemic.

2. Libraries Under Lockdown

Libraries are knowledge organizations as they hold information as

much as they are centres of learning and cultural activities [9].
They serve students and readers from all walks of life and offer
services like lending of books and reading materials. Libraries also
have reading rooms where patrons could come and borrow books
to read.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has been characterized by extraordinary

situations with people across the world taking special precautions
against this dreadful pandemic. With the global economies having
been locked down to maintain isolation to enforce social distancing,
such extraordinary steps were taken to contain the spread of this
highly contagious coronavirus disease. With almost all the
countries being more or less affected by the pandemic, lockdown
have been enforced in around 158 countries around the world.
Preventive measures like social distancing, wearing of masks,
quarantine, sanitizing and maintaining lockdown to prevent
gathering of people have been undertaken across the world.
Libraries too have but little choice and their closures around the
world indicate that they are abiding the decisions of their
respective directors who in turn are following their government’s
directives to shut down.

According to the IFLA [2], " Libraries around the world are facing
hard choices around which services to offer and how, ranging from
minimal restrictions to full closure. We are aware that
governments themselves are taking different approaches,
sometimes ordering the closure of all institutions, others indicating
that life should continue as usual, and others simply leaving
decisions up to library directors."
Indeed, libraries are facing hard choices. When action is the cause
of knowledge, such action may not result in financial benefits.
Simple steps as actions taken today may build up social benefits in

Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3610042

the long run. As responsible learning organizations, libraries have
shut down but continue to provide their services online through
digital access. Efforts are in the way to make everyone, readers
and patrons, fit within the planned idea that libraries have
developed in lieu of lockdowns. Libraries are encouraging online
participation through webinars and supporting with eagerness
digital access to reading materials, books, periodicals and other
library contents.

In lieu of this ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, businesses, universities

and colleges, educational institutions, hotels and restaurants and
even public transports have all been shut down keeping the
essential services outside the context of lockdown indefinitely and
until the Covid-19 Pandemic subsides [8]. This is to break the
vicious cycle of corona virus transmission between people and
across regions [8]. Public and academic libraries also come under
this purview and have also been shut down since they are the
gathering places of people who are at risk of contracting or
transmitting coronavirus infection. In this short paper I discuss on
the issue of post-Covid-19 Pandemic precautions that libraries
must take and adhere to rules and regulations framed periodically
by IFLA in order to alleviate health risk to the library staffs and
their patrons. It is expected that library services would resume
once lockdowns are lifted as soon as the COVID-19 Pandemic
settles down. Various kinds of preventive measures have been
outlined by the professional bodies like IFLA and I discuss about
such measures being underlined to highlight the post-pandemic
scenario that would be faced by libraries around the world.

3. Preventive Measures In Libraries Against Covid-

Covid-19

Library staffs are at equal risk of getting exposed to contagious

disease like COVID-19 in a much similar but analogous manner like
healthcare worker for both deals with people. So academic, school,
public, community and special libraries must adhere to the rules
and regulations in order to maintain post COVID-19 preventative
measures. The guidelines as protocols have been outlined by the
IFLA [2] as follows:

Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3610042

 i. Access to liquid soap or hand wash /hand sanitizers with
warm water should be maintained before entering the library.

ii. Special precaution should be in place on loan (circulation)

desks in a circulation or lending section where books are
borrowed or returned. Circulation section, therefore, should
take enough precautions to avoid getting infected.

iii. During lending or borrowing of books in the circulation

section, special systems should be in place to sanitize library
cards as well as books returned to the library.

iv. Reading rooms must be cleaned and sanitized before and

after library hours.

v. Computer rooms and computer accessories should be kept

clean.

vi. Library staff and users/patrons need to be aware of whether

they are feeling unwell or ill or show any signs of COVID-19.

vii. Social distancing should be maintained within the reading

rooms and overcrowding must be avoided, and

viii. Limiting the number of users to the library.

Since libraries are public gathering places and people from all
walks of life come to visit public libraries in search of information
and knowledge, library staffs are equally exposed to contracting
contagious infections like H1N1 or CoVID-19. Librarians, on the
other hand, have a definite role to play regarding safety measures
that they should adopt to minimize the risk of exposure to Covid-
19-like infections [1]. As Friedman and Friedman elucidates,
transitioning out of Covid-19 lockdown is an important aspect of
developing a zone-based social distancing [6].

On account of lockdowns due to Covid-19 Pandemic, libraries have

developed planned ideas regarding access to their materials via
online mode. Online access to digital contents and materials have
made it possible for students and learners to search and retrieve
accessible materials like journals, periodicals, books, thesis

Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3610042

materials, magazines and other materials for their educational
needs. Since public libraries, school libraries, academic and college
libraries have all been shut down to prevent gathering of people
who could transmit Covid-19 infection among them, it has become
necessary for libraries to opt for alternative modes of operation [3].
They tend to remain “active” without being “open”. For, libraries
are sources of knowledge, and so such knowledge must be
accessible to the patrons. I have already discussed on the issue of
post-Covid-19 scenarios when libraries are like to open to the
students and the public. This could raise concern regarding the
risk of spreading contagious infections. Several outlined measures
as guidelines have been formulated by the IFLA when libraries
prepare for their re-opening [2, 4].

• 4. Conclusion

The global economies have come under lockdowns owing to the

Covid-19 Pandemic which has since become a dreadful calamity for
many countries that suffered the most in terms of lives lost due to
the SARS-COV-2 disease. For that reason, schools, colleges and
universities as well as the libraries attached to educational
institutions have all been shut down. This is affecting students and
learners who are not able to attend classes or go to libraries to get
their books and learning materials. Following post pandemic,
libraries should prepare themselves for re-opening when
lockdowns will be lifted. IFLA has framed guidelines regarding
such transitioning through post COVID-19 pandemic. I have
discussed such issue and analyzed the health risks to library staffs
constantly exposed to contagious infections, and mentioned
measures that should be in place to handle post Covid-19
scenarios.

Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3610042

References:

1. Ali, M. Y., & Gatiti, P. (2020). The COVID‐19 (Coronavirus)

Pandemic: Reflections on the Roles of Librarians and
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Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3610042