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

Abstract

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.