COVID-19 is profoundly affecting the ways in which we live, learn, plan, and develop. What does COVID-19 mean for the future of digital information use and delivery, and for more traditional forms of library provision? Libraries, Digital Information, and COVID gives immediate and long-term solutions for librarians responding to the challenge of COVID-19. The book helps library leaders prepare for a post-COVID-19 world, giving guidance on developing sustainable solutions. The need for sustainable digital access has now become acute, and while offering a physical space will remain important, current events are likely to trigger a shift toward off-site working and study, making online access to information more crucial. Libraries have already been providing access to digital information as a premium service. New forms and use of materials all serve to eliminate the need for direct contact in a physical space. Such spaces will come to be predicated on evolving systems of digital information, as critical needs are met by remote delivery of goods and services. Intensified financial pressure will also shape the future, with a reassessment of information and its commercial value. In response, there will be a massification of provision through increased cooperation and collaboration. These significant transitions are driving professionals to rethink and question their identities, values, and purpose. This book responds to these issues by examining the practicalities of running a library during and after the pandemic, answering questions such as: What do we know so far? How are institutions coping? Where are providers placing themselves on the digital/print and the remote/face-to-face continuums? This edited volume gives analysis and examples from around the globe on how libraries are managing to deliver access and services during COVID-19. This practical and thoughtful book provides a framework within which library directors and their staff can plan sustainable services and collections for an uncertain future.

About the Author
David Baker has published widely in the field of Library and Information Studies, with 19 monographs and over 100 articles to his credit. He has spoken worldwide at numerous conferences and led workshops and seminars. His other key professional interest and expertise has been in the field of human resources, where he has also been active in major national projects. He has held senior positions at several institutions, including as Principal and Chief Executive of Plymouth Marjon University, and Emeritus Professor of Strategic Information Management. He has also been Deputy Chair of the Joint Information Systems Committee (Jisc). Until recently he was a member of the Board of Governors of the Universities of Northampton and South Wales. He is Chair of the Board of the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance. He is a leader in the field of library and information science. Lucy Ellis is a consultant and research associate within higher education. Her background is as a lecturer, research scientist and project development consultant. With Professor David Baker she is Editor-in-Chief for the Elsevier Major Reference Work 'Encyclopaedia of Libraries, Librarianship, and Information Science' and Chandos-Elsevier Series Editor for 'Digital Information Review' and the 'Advances in Information' series. Recent books in this series include Libraries, Digital Information and COVID: Practical Applications and Approaches to Challenge and Change and Future Directions in Digital Information: Predictions, Practice and Participation. She is a reviewer for Information and Learning Sciences (Wiley), Journal of British Institute of Organ Studies, British Academy grants scheme and the publisher Palgrave. Following a PhD in Experimental Phonetics she worked as a Senior Lecturer and programme leader at Plymouth Marjon University and as a project development consultant. She holds an Honorary Research Fellowship with the College of Humanities at Exeter University.

Reviews
"...different sectors responded to the challenges of COVID; their views are presented in Chapters 1 and 31. These two chapters also report the results of a Delphi exercise involving 23 panellists from the Asia-Pacific region. The 11 questions they answered (Appendix A) covered the main themes of the book. Thus the 31 chapters give a multinational perspective on the constraints and challenges of COVID responses. Chapters 2 to 30 consist of case studies and thought pieces presented in three parts: immediate challenges of the pandemic; analysis and opportunities for new behaviours; and re-shaping society and the future. These chapters are a rich resource of information and for reflection... The detailed Contents list is helpful to the reader... this is a valuable collection of essays which documents how our profession responded to the pandemic, analyses what was learned, and considers change and future opportunities. This book is recommended for readers interested in crisis management and who wish to investigate what we learned from the pandemic and how it might affect our future practices and services." --Sherrey Quin, Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association



Book Information
ISBN 9780323884938
Author David Baker
Format Paperback
Page Count 420
Imprint Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc
Publisher Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc
Weight(grams) 1000g