Expanding digital academic library and archive services at the University of Calgary in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Despite the uncertain challenges facing libraries of all types during the COVID-19 pandemic, new best practices and innovative ways of approaching services have emerged. Including the groundbreaking Taylor Family Digital Library in 2011, the University of Calgary Libraries and Cultural Resources has been contributing towards the ongoing development of the digital academic library. The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a rapid leveraging of digital skills, platforms, expertise, and models of service delivery to continue providing exceptional and transformative experiences for the University of Calgary community. The initiatives discussed in this article include online work teams, virtual 360-degree tours, the online library chat service, digital collections agreements, and remote services for archives and special collections.