Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Assessment of Electronic Service Delivery in Post Covid-19 Era: A survey of academic libraries in Rivers State, Nigeria
Abstract
The study investigated electronic service delivery in post covid-19 era in academic libraries in Rivers state of Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research survey design. The population of the study was 72 comprising all the government owned academic libraries in Rivers State. Census sampling techniques was used to select all the respondents. Online Questionnaire titled “Assessment of Electronic Service Delivery in Post COVID19 Era Questionnaire (AESDPCEQ)” was used for data collection. A total of 54 responses were recorded and found valid for analysis. The study was analysed using simple percentages presented in tables and charts. Findings revealed that the services libraries rendered in the post COVID-19 era were OPAC, email services, online CAS, Online SDI and online reference service. The study also revealed that whatsapp, mobile phones, email and facebook were the ICT tools deployed for services delivery. Lack of policy and guide, inadequate born digital collections, library collections not digitized, lack of digital library erratic power supply, expensive internet subscription, technophobia and fluctuating network. The study therefore recommended that tertiary institutions in Nigeria be funded, own a library database at all cost, automate or digitize collections, have functional library-based website with functional internet services, mandatory training and retraining for reference librarians amongst others.