Francis Kim R.

Tanay LIS-152
FINAL PROJECT

Management Related Question

What are the solutions proposed or implemented by libraries to diminish the impact of COVID-
19 in relation to management?

Introduction

On January 2020, the first ever imported case of COVID-19 was recorded in the
Philippines. Few weeks after, thousands of cases and multiple lockdowns happened which forced
different institutions to halt their services. One of those are the academic and library institutions
that mainly affected students, who were clinging on education for a brighter future. But despite
of difficulties during the pandemic, libraries have found different solutions and projects to
connect to their community and offer services to their patrons. In this paper, I will review some
of the projects that made a difference during the pandemic season. I will also discuss their style
of management and their steps to come up with such certain solutions.

Library Management: Towards a better governance

A study conducted by Endang Fatmawati (2021), describing a short-term strategy to the

Diponegoro University Library management in Indonesia during the pandemic. The Diponegoro
University Library is a university library that has three missions which are: “to provide scientific
information to support learning and research processes, and community service; providing access
to information without boundaries of space and time; and increasing information network
cooperation between libraries” (Fatmawati, 2021). These missions should be carried even during
crisis. But as we know, COVID-19 brought challenges that makes these missions hard to be
accomplished. An example of it is the shifting from face-to-face to an online and work from
home services which is a challenge in a remote management setting. Some other challenges
experiences by the library are the following: lack of socialization; not optimize online library
services, insufficient co-working space; limited support of other agencies; and lack of library
management. Recognizing these challenges is the first step, “innovation ideas are obtained from
finding, mapping, and formulating existing problems so that it can be seen the innovation needs
needed to realize the condition of the Undip Library”. Upon conducting the study, with the use of
Focus Group Discussion (FGD) method, the researcher found that the key elements in
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accomplishing these missions is a better and good governance. “The Undip Library’s innovation
breakthrough towards better governance is one of the supporting elements as an initial strategy to
prepare students who are competent in their fields, skilled, adaptive, and agile”
(Fatmawati,2021). With that, transforming the services and management of the library that is
more efficient, accurate and accountable. The following strategies are then proposed by the
study, socialization of library use; additional library service hours; sending librarians for
certification; regulation of library co-working space; optimization of collaborative environment
with other institutions, implementation of Rector’s regulation; library marketing strategy; and
involving stakeholders’ interest. The short-term strategies were then proposed and can be carried
out smoothly, with the help of other stakeholders and other organizations. Lastly, implementing
these strategies should be monitored and adapting to changes is a must to achieve the excellent
service that libraries are striving for.

Health Sciences Library Response

Health sciences librarians are those who provide information through their clients
especially when it comes to health-related issues such as different calamities and pandemics.
Throughout the discourse of the issues during the pandemic, there little to no topics regarding the
involvement of health sciences librarians, or communities are even unaware of there existence.
There are only few cases that were documented about the involvement of health sciences
librarians, one of which is their involvement to the H1N1 pandemic in the year 2009. Now a new
virus emerges which health sciences librarians are called to help their community. A group of
researchers explore the response of health science librarians, and to discuss their contribution
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys and interviews were conducted to provide a general
information on their responses. Surprisingly, there are divided response among the respondents.
Some of the negative responses are the following: there are multiple issues that had resulted to a
decrease on services, such as information overload, outdated resources, some said that their
institutions haven’t yet created a guide. Connected to these issues are a low-quality of managing
though-out the staff and librarians. On the other hand, other respondents have provided a good
implementation and response such as providing online resources to their clients, collaboration
with other organization and response teams, and updating their resources. Upon presenting the
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situation of librarians, study recommended that creating a connection for hospital and health
sciences librarians is a good opportunity to be made during this pandemic. “There is value in
hospital and health science librarians advocating to be part of a multidisciplinary effort to create
resource collections during a health crisis, and these interdepartmental connections can be
strengthened now, before another pandemic occurs” (Clifton et al., 2021).

Library in use of data management systems

The role of a library is not only providing materials or other resources, but also to educate
and help their clients to develop their own information literacy. “A library plays a vital role in
the development of society, faculty and students” (Shabbir & Ali, 2021). A study focusing on the
Quaid-i-Azam Library was conducted to discuss it role in the development of faculty and
students especially during the pandemic. Quaid-i-Azam Library is comprised of 11 libraries
under the University of Gurat, Pakistan. It has a collection of approximately 134,000 books,
45,00 e-books, peer-reviewed journals, and more, and can be access though 17 online sources.
With a vast collections and users, the library still functions excellently. The library has its own
Library Management System (LMS), which helps in maintaining database of their collections
and records transaction more efficiently. “The LMS is efficient, reliable, intuitive and compliant
to establish a world-class library” (Shabbir & Ali, 2021). Another is the use of Online Public
Access Catalogue (OPAC), which gave access materials to the users through a single web page.
Other responses made by the library during pandemic is giving free access to online sources
along with the prominent publisher making their content available for the students and faculties.
These responses great impacted the research culture of their patrons. Digitization is now the
trend to many, so that libraries can still reach their communities.

Library access and services

The University of Alabama has ingenious ways in facing the posing challenges of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Decker (2021) explores the library’s services that allows their clients to
receive the assistance they needed despite the obstacle brought by the pandemic. There three
solutions explored by the study, the implementation of LibChat, Grab N’ Go, and CARES
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Laptops, “one adapted, one newly developed, and one a collaboration across several units on
campus” (Decker, 2021). With the present situation where physical libraries are inaccessible,
library assistance and other forms of services became limited. The typical method of asking for
resources over a desk or users asking for general inquiry in face-to-face became impossible. To
ease this kind of problem, LibChat was implemented. Libchat become a virtual information desk
for the clients/ The existence of it opens a new way for students and other users to communicate
with their library’s despite of the inaccessible of libraries physically. Admins were focus on
ensuring that the LibChat are always online, so that users can be accommodated during their
regular hours. Another implemented project is the Grab N’ Go. This project’s purpose is to
provide physical collection to users especially those who preferred printed resources. It was
based on the concept of the Document Delivery platform. Users using the Grab N’ Go service
will be notified after their request is already available and for pick-up. Lastly is CARES Laptops,
which help students that doesn’t have any technology to shift their education online. The Office
of Information Technology purchases different types of technologies to aid students, such us
laptops, hotspots, and more. The responses made by the University of Alabama Library are still
to be in progress, but these projects made a big impact to the communities they are serving with.

Academic library resources

A quantitative study was conducted to analyze the resources and services of different
library institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers conducted an online survey to
1823 respondents, chosen by a method of random sampling, focusing on their satisfactions
regarding the services and resources of their respective libraries. In the survey, respondents have
a lower satisfaction regarding the provision of required documents. On the other hand, other
services such as access to library resources, access to library services, availability of library
services, online query responses and research supports a higher satisfaction towards the
respondents. Students are also satisfied with their libraries responses towards the COVID-19
pandemic. But only few students are aware with the availability of electronic resources and
databases present in their campuses (Ahmad et al., 2021).
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Synthesis of the studies

All the studies were conducted to gave insights upon library responses during this
COVID-19. Both Shabbir & Ali (2021) and Decker (2021), provided responses that are already
implemented and gave ease to the growing obstacle of the pandemic. Fatmawati (2021) and
Clifton et al. (2021) provided strategies in creating a well-organized response during the
pandemic crisis. A general response toward the resources and services of the libraries was then
conducted by Ahmad et al. (2021). Furthermore, Shabbir & Ali (2021) focuses on the database
and digitization, while Decker (2021) shows a unique approach of serving clients during
pandemic season. The presented studies then amplify that proper library management helps to
generate solutions in a more efficient and organize way.

Most of the studies presented are outside the Philippines, but despite of it their finding
can help to give an overview of what our libraries can do to reach our communities. Also, the
studies presented are still lacking with inner concept and principles of management, as well as
the proper implementation of Disaster Management. Libraries are said to be the heart of the
universities, if that so we should cling that library are crucial for the survival of education and
enlightenment of the students.
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References

Ahmad, J., Shoaib, M., & Shaukat, B. (2021). Academic Library Resources and Services at
Higher Education Institutions during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case of Students’
Satisfaction. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1-10.

Clifton, V. L., Flathers, K. M., & Brigham, T. J. (2021). COVID-19 – Background and Health
Sciences Library Response during the First Months of the Pandemic. Medical Reference
Services Quarterly, 40(1), 1-10.

Fatmawati, E. (2021). Strategy for implementing short-term milestones in library management

during the Covid-19 pandemic. Review of International Geographical Education, 11(8),
1310-1318.

Piorun, M. E. (2021). Leading Through a Crisis: The Application of Servant Leadership During
COVID-19. Lamar Soutter Library, 1-22.

Shabbir, G., & Ali, N. (2021). An Effective Role of a Library in the Development of Faculty and
Students: A Case Study of Quaid-i-Azam Library. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1-10.