Access Subscribed Databases Behind the Library Wall During the Covid 19: a case study of University Library

Abstract

The academic libraries encountered unforeseen challenges during the recent health crisis and as a result there was a greater discourse on the necessity of enhanced online library services. In this context, most of the academic libraries strove to provide library services to the users based on their capacity of online collection and capabilities of library staff on handling the online library services. This study thus intends to investigate the manner in which the academic libraries catered to the users' needs during the pandemic from 15th March to 15th June 2020, utilizing their subscribed databases by the university. The study is concentrated on the Library of Southern Campus, KDU which implemented a number of initiatives to provide the existing services of subscribed databases of Emerald & IEEE, they were adapted into an online platform while exploring new initiatives/practices for library users. At the initial outset of the project, the library staff were guided on the usage of active remote access facilities and since March 15th the users were made aware about all the updates of Emerald & IEEE, conducting awareness programs through online social media on how to fulfil their academic and research needs on teaching and learning. This paper was used for an analytical survey and investigation on the usage statistics of the subscribed databases during the COVID 19 period and a questionnaire was used to derive comments from the library staff and library users. The major finding was that accessibility increased from 18% to 80% and downloads of journal papers & various articles increased from 11% to 48% of the Emerald & IEEE during the period COVID 19. Lack of e-books for all subjects has been a pressing issue. In addition, lack of funds for use of the Internet facility was the main difficulty faced by the library staff. The study thus recommended that University should be provided enough funds for library staff for access to the stable Internet facilities and to subscribe to the enough e-books for available academic programmes offered by the University.