Working with readers under quarantine conditions

Abstract

The main purpose of the article is to present the experience in organizing users’ services at the Universal Literature Circulation Department of the Central Scientific Library (CSL) of the Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FRC KSC SB RAS) in the period of spring - summer of 2020. Ways of solving the problems that arose in the libraries’ work due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are considered.During the quarantine period, it became necessary to ensure the return and extension of literature in the conditions of limited contacts between the librarian and the reader. The following mechanisms for solving the problems were proposed: the possibility of remote extension of the period of documents usage with the help of a mobile communication device as well as of books return through the “book-box” at the checkpoint of the FRC KSC. When informing users in a remote mode, telephone calls, SMS and e-mail messages were used.The preferences of readers when using various communication systems were analyzed: among the subscribers who used the remote method of extending books usage period, about half of the readers used Viber, one third used WhatsApp and about a fifth – e-mail. The efficiency of the work performed was determined: almost all users settled the matters with the library before August 31. At the same time, most of the books were returned or the period of usage was extended. Several reasons for effective work were highlighted: convenience of online renewal; no time limits for returning books; prompt notification of readers about new opportunities. The advantages of the proposed technology (the fulfillment of quarantine requirements, convenience of remote work for readers, and, as a result, promptness of performing actions on their part) and disadvantages (additional work to preserve information when using the employee’s personal smartphone, lack of personal contact between the librarian and the reader are emphasized.The activity of the Circulation Department is assessed as satisfactory according to the selected set of criteria. The considered method of the Department work, taking into account the quarantine requirements, is recognized as promising.