Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world brought many changes in the way libraries provided services to users. Most academic libraries worldwide have placed a strong emphasis on using online services to combat the spread of the pandemic. This study sets out to examine the readiness of academic libraries in Tanzania to provide services to their patrons during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and determine their working practices and strategies applied to overcome the spread of the pandemic. The study used a quantitative and qualitative approach to collecting data through a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with users and librarians in the surveyed academic libraries. The fndings showed that libraries restored their web pages, reassigned resources, and planned robust online services for their users. Library staff worked from home, and there was a sense of overburden because of the lack of connectivity and other formal working policies addressing the new working routines. University librarians believed that the digital divide resulted from a lack of digital literacy skills, and slow internet speed was the most signifcant barrier to their transition from physical to online mode, resulting in less use of the library’s online resources and web portals. Libraries see their individual and collective roles in societal and educational dimensions during these uncertain times. The study recommends that libraries should reassess their facilities, resources, strategies, and services in order to be capable of playing a vital role in supporting their users to access information based on their information needs.

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Funding