Digital library services to support online learning amid COVID-19: a study of a private university library in Bangladesh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the East West University Library’s (EWUL’s) response to COVID-19 situation through their transformation to digital services. The paper tries to explain how these digital library services support the user community of East West University (EWU) in online teaching and access to information resources. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes the EWUL’s several digital services that are used to meet the needs of its user community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reflective practice approach has been undertaken for this study on the basis of the authors’ personal experiences working at an academic library. The authors used the reflective practice approach to assess the library’s practice during crisis situation, make the use of technological interventions in service providing and also to re-innovate the digital services for future. Findings During the pandemic, the library shifted all the possible physical or on-site services to digital services, i.e. online resource facilities and remote access to these, federated searching, Web online public access catalog, engaging users through social media, specialized knowledge space, online document delivery, article on request, information literacy training, virtual reference service, etc. The user engagement in all these services is also notable. Research limitations/implications The nature of this study is limited to the COVID-19 pandemic and within a particular geographic location. Practical implications This paper has implications and possible applications for other university libraries in developing countries, which intends to transform their services into digital for ensuring better service quality for their respective user community. Originality/value This paper makes a valuable contribution to the literature on how a private university library of a developing country is responding to pandemics such as COVID-19.

Library Services Of Banten Province During The Covid-19 Pandemic

Physical services in several libraries had to be stopped and closed in order to prevent the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. This is done as the responsibility of the library in protecting library staff and library users. Due to the closure of library services, it becomes difficult for people to access information. This condition requires libraries to look for innovations or other alternatives to help people who need information. The purpose of this article is to determine the implementation of innovations in the service sector carried out by the Banten Provincial library during the pandemic to help people who need information. This research was conducted using descriptive qualitative methods, namely methods that utilize qualitative data and described descriptively. This article examines the innovations made by the Banten Provincial Library in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. No direct observations were made because the library was closed and following government advice to avoid crowds. As a substitute for the direct observation method, then taking another alternative, namely conducting an interview with the Head of the Banten Provincial Library Division via the WhatsApp application. Data analysis was obtained through the results of these interviews and by reviewing journals related to library services during this pandemic. Based on the research results, it can be obtained information that the policy of the Banten Province library during this pandemic is not to provide crowd services and there is no contact between librarians and users so that services in the library have to be closed. As an alternative to discontinuing physical services, the Banten Province library is looking for new innovations, namely by optimizing digital library services implemented through the Banten Province digital library application, namely iBanten, online registration through the Online Registration System (SIPANON) application, opening website services, online book review, and webinar program.Keywords: Covid-19 Pandemic; Library Services; InnovationABSTRAKLayanan fisik di beberapa perpustakaan terpaksa dihentikan dan ditutup dalam rangka mencegah penularan virus Covid-19. Hal tersebut dilakukan sebagai tanggungjawab perpustakaan dalam melindungi staff perpustakaan dan pengguna perpustakaan. Akibat ditutupnya layanan perpustakaan, masyarakat menjadi kesulitan untuk mengakses informasi Kondisi ini mengharuskan perpustakaan untuk mencari inovasi atau alternatif lain untuk membantu masyarakat yang membutuhkan informasi. Tujuan dibuatnya artikel ini adalah untuk mengetahui pelaksanaan inovasi dalam bidang layanan yang dilakukan perpustakaan Provinsi Banten selama pandemi untuk membantu masyarakat yang membutuhkan informasi. Penelitian ini dilakukan menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif, yaitu metode yang memanfaatkan data kualitatif dan dijelaskan secara deskriptif. Artikel ini meneliti tentang inovasi yang dilakukan oleh Perpustakaan Provinsi Banten dalam menghadapi pandemi Covid-19. Observasi secara langsung tidak dilakukan karena perpustakaan tersebut ditutup dan mengikuti anjuran pemerintah untuk menghindari kerumunan. Sebagai pengganti metode observasi secara langsung, maka mengambil alternatif lain, yaitu melakukan wawancara dengan Kepala Bidang Perpustakaan Provinsi Banten melalui aplikasi WhatsApp. Analisis data diperoleh melalui hasil wawancara tersebut dan dengan mengkaji jurnal yang berkaitan dengan pelayanan perpustakaan selama pandemi ini. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, dapat diperoleh informasi bahwa kebijakan perpustakaan Provinsi Banten selama pandemi ini adalah tidak menyediakan layanan yang bersifat kerumunan dan tidak ada kontak antara pustakawan dengan pengguna sehingga layanan di perpustakaan terpaksa ditutup. Sebagai alternatif dari dihentikannya layanan fisik, perpustakaan Provinsi Banten mencari inovasi baru yaitu dengan mengoptimalkan layanan perpustakaan digital yang dilaksanakan melalui aplikasi perpustakaan digital Provinsi Banten yaitu iBanten, pendaftaran online melalui aplikasi Sistem Pendaftaran Online (SIPANON), membuka layanan website, bedah buku daring, dan program webinar.

Automatic Metadata Generation for Fish Specimen Image Collections

Metadata are key descriptors of research data, particularly for researchers seeking to apply machine learning (ML) to the vast collections of digitized specimens. Unfortunately, the available metadata is often sparse and, at times, erroneous. Additionally, it is prohibitively expensive to address these limitations through traditional, manual means. This paper reports on research that applies machine-driven approaches to analyzing digitized fish images and extracting various important features from them. The digitized fish specimens are being analyzed as part of the Biology Guided Neural Networks (BGNN) initiative, which is developing a novel class of artificial neural networks using phylogenies and anatomy ontologies. Automatically generated metadata is crucial for identifying the high-quality images needed for the neural network's predictive analytics. Methods that combine ML and image informatics techniques allow us to rapidly enrich the existing metadata associated with the 7,244 images from the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) used in our study. Results show we can accurately generate many key metadata properties relevant to the BGNN project, as well as general image quality metrics (e.g. brightness and contrast). Results also show that we can accurately generate bounding boxes and segmentation masks for fish, which are needed for subsequent machine learning analyses. The automatic process outperforms humans in terms of time and accuracy, and provides a novel solution for leveraging digitized specimens in ML. This research demonstrates the ability of computational methods to enhance the digital library services associated with the tens of thousands of digitized specimens stored in open-access repositories worldwide.

Agilität und Weltkulturerbe: Erfahrungen mit sieben Jahren agilen Methoden an der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Eine Fallstudie I/II

This series of two articles describes the introduction and establishment of agile methods at the Berlin State Library (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin) during its ongoing digital transformation. This article showcases structural factors and typical challenges that can be addressed well with agile methods and also be transferred to other organizations. The article focusses on a chronological presentation of carried-out actions and the resulting agile approaches chosen to leverage the collaborative and user-centered development of digital library services.

Utilization of the Digital Information Resources and Services Provided in the Engineering College Libraries in Karnataka, India

The current analytical survey investigates the utilization and effectiveness of digital libraries in 51 self-financed engineering colleges affiliated to the VTU in the Karnataka, India. The research paper is based on survey of final year BE students and faculty members have been chosen for the study. Questionnaire tool was used to gather data. Findings shows that the Utilization of digital information resources for overall purposes is found to a large extent among respondents with mean value of 2.28±0.89. An impressive 88.9% of respondents are of the opinion that digital library services are superior to conventional library services. The digital library utilization and its purpose are correlated using Pearson correlation and its significant value r=0.489, p=0.000<0.01 proves that user dependency on digital information resources is positively increasing in the respondents’ activities and has an impact on their academic pursuits.

Innovation Strategy on Online-Based Library Services to Achieve Freedom Learning Program during Covid 19

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the implementation of teaching and learning activities, especially libraries as critical factor in maintaining good education. The Covid-19 outbreak has impacted the availability of instructional resources, reading materials, literacy, and other information. To ensure successful implementation, libraries must constantly innovate services through the use of information technology advances, including developing e-digital library services, online libraries, and book delivery services, as well as developing big data and digital library applications that involve libraries throughout Indonesia. Even the world through the use of a system that is frequently found in digital e-commerce platforms.

Pengaruh kualitas website Kandaga terhadap kepuasan pengguna Perpustakaan Pusat Universitas Padjadjaran

Library websites in higher education institutions help increase competitiveness and reinforce institutions, information media, and library promotion. This study aimed to determine the effect of the quality of the Kandaga website partially and simultaneously on user satisfaction at the Padjadjaran University Central Library. This study used an explanatory quantitative approach by distributing questionnaires to 373 people. The analysis of research data used path analysis. Based on the research results, variables of usability quality, service interaction quality, interface quality, and digital library service quality partially had a significant effect on user satisfaction of the Padjadjaran University Central Library. The quality of the Kandaga website had a significant simultaneous effect on user satisfaction of the Central Library of Padjadjaran University by 87.4%. The quality of the digital library services had the most significant influence on user satisfaction, namely 52.6%. The Central Library o Padjadjaan University needed to prioritize digital library service quality improvements because this variable significantly influenced user satisfaction. The quality of the Kandaga website partially and simultaneously had a significant effect on user satisfaction of the Central Library. Information quality had no significant effect on user satisfaction of the Central Library of Padjadjaran University. Kandaga's information quality variable had the highest value. The study concludes that users of the Kandaga website believe that the quality of information on the Kandaga website currently has met user needs, has a good reputation, is trustworthy, relevant, detailed, and easy to understand.

LIBRARY ONLINE SERVICES DURING COVID-19: THE EXPERIENCE OF LIBRARIES IN CROATIA AND UKRAINE

The purpose of the article is to identify activities in providing online services during forced quarantine on the example of public libraries’ activities in Croatia and university libraries in Ukraine. The study aimed to identify, analyse, and characterise online services offered by libraries to establish remote customer service during the forced quarantine. The results of the study are presented in three sections. The first analyses the work of Croatian public libraries; the second, presents the experience of Ukrainian libraries; in the third, there is the case of the Scientific Library of Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts is displayed. The scientific novelty of the article is to identify practices for providing online services by libraries in Croatia and Ukraine during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The study shows that Croatian public librarians, as well as Ukrainian librarians, have demonstrated they can quickly adapt and use digital technologies on behalf of their supporters. Libraries went from developing imaginative practices to create online spaces in a matter of weeks. The result was a massive amount of produced content like workshops for children and adults; streamings of online events, organisation of virtual exhibitions, and collecting verified reference sources for research and learning. Another one of the impacts of this crisis was the accelerated development of digital library services, including online membership registration and the acquisition of e-books by public libraries. Public response was more significant than ever, including following, commenting, and sharing digital content created or shared by public libraries. The study found that the challenges of the COVID‑19 pandemic have intensified the digitisation of Ukrainian libraries and led to changes in activities. University libraries quickly adapted to remote work, offering their users a variety of remote services. The authors hope that the considered practices will contribute to disseminating better experience of libraries during quarantine in general and online services in remote maintenance in particular.

Samfunnsoppdrag under press

As the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world and Norway in 2020, libraries were among the institutions that were impacted. The social mission of libraries to stay open and offer services, cultural experiences and reliable information was put under pressure. In this article we depart from a survey of 843 library workers across public, academic, special, and school libraries in Norway. The survey was conducted in June-August 2020 and contains quantitative and qualitative data on how library workers experienced lockdown and the responses from libraries. The article addresses how the Covid-19 crisis impacted libraries’ social missions and what circumstances contribute to crisis management in Norwegian libraries. We use institutional theories on isomorphism and institutional pressures, as well as general theories on crisis management, to analyse the material. We conclude that the pandemic has shown the potential of digital library services, but also find that closed library premises strongly influenced how libraries were able to fulfil their social missions. Our findings also indicate the need for a sectorial leadership in times of crisis. In our discussion, we describe a situation where structures and plans to manage situations of crises are lacking. For libraries to be part of society’s democratic infrastructure, their roles and social missions need to be considered in crisis management plans.