https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5764-8770
A consideration of how our higher education library landscape will look in a post-pandemic world opens the field to questions, some of them obvious, others perhaps less so. This study pins down some issues but clear answers can be elusive.
The Survey of academic library leadership: post pandemic planning is offered in a concise 50-page document which distils the findings of a questionnaire distributed to around 60 library deans and directors in the United States. The exact questionnaire is provided and the contents list is saturated with lists of tables quantifying the data. The publisher, Primary Research Group, is an American institution focused on primary and secondary research across higher education, law and business.
Examples of the type of question included are, ‘What has the library done or plan to do to enhance online info literacy training and skill assessment’ and ‘What percentage of students do you feel will primarily be taking classes on campus rather than online’.
Australian institutions will find that the most relevant answers relate to online information training, skills assessment and online library orientation. The surveyed American institutions have focused on improved online tutorials, the use of tools for online class assessments, certifying staff for online teaching and developing on-demand video demonstrations. Some of the technologies being employed include H5P, Springshare’s LibWard, LibWizard, Yellowdig and Perusall and an annual assessment reporting tool that is being developed.
In relation to orientation programs, many noted that they have expanded their library training to include instruction on how to use Zoom and other more targeted content. There is mention of some academic libraries moving staffing positions around to support online work.
There are some US initiatives which might be useful to consider in an Australian context. Some universities have included library staff in personal calling programs to assist students, to enquire about wellbeing, or to assess academic integrity issues.
Other material in this survey focuses on information less relevant to Australia. For instance, post-pandemic budgets, space allocation and retention practices are contextual to the US landscape. Much of the information is tabulated numerically, and deeper analysis is absent from the work.
This study has limited application for an Australian audience as location is fundamental to the relevance of the responses. Whilst it may highlight some issues for library leadership teams, the likelihood is that these are already under consideration. On a broader level, it is a study which will remain relevant for a limited period, as our world continues to evolve quickly in response to the pandemic.