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1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
Journal of Management and Technology Vol. 16, Aug.. 2020 2
CREATIVE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVELIBRARY
SERVICES IN NIGERIA
: A RESPONSE TO MITIGATE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
By
1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
1Department of Library and Information Science, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Nigeria
2The Central Library, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Nigeria
3 Benue State Polytechnic Library, Ugbokolo
4 Postgraduate Student, Dept. of Library and Information Science,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Correspondence: adayinn01@gmail.com
Abstract
This paper examines the creative adaptation strategies for effective library services as a
response to pandemics like the COVID-19. The work provides a brief background of global
pandemics in recent history, narrowing down to the coronavirus of 2019. It highlights the
symptoms, mode of transmission and management of the pandemic as recommended by the
World Health Organization. It also discussed the role of the library in the COVID-19 pandemic,
which, among others include provision of materials for scientists and medics. This is geared
towardscontrolling the disease and helping users and citizens to choose reliable sources of
information about the pandemic in order to counter extremely viral fake news. The library needs
to transmute to a stage where it can provide services without compromising the safety of staff
and clientele. The creative adaptation strategies to achieve this include but not limited to
physical distancing, quarantine of books and non-book materials, remote services, virtual
reference service and regular risk assessment.
Keywords: Pandemic, COVID-19, creative, adaptation, creative adaptation strategies, library
Introduction
Pandemics of global scale have occurred
over time with disastrous consequences on
mankind, sometimes changing the course of
history. Though, the international community has
made progress towards preparing for and
mitigating the impacts of pandemics, each
incident has left devastating results before
eventual mitigation. Relatively, recent pandemics
include the Spanish flu in 1918-1920, which
affected the third of world population. It killed an
estimated number of 50 million people, making it
the deadliest pandemic in modern history. Asian
flu, with its root in China, occurred between1957
and 1958 and claimed more than 1 million lives.
HIV/AIDS started in 1981and have not been
totally overcome till date. It has claimed an
estimated number of 35 million lives with Africa
being the worst hit. Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) in 2002-2003, has 770,000
deaths. Others include Swine flu, which originated
in Mexico, Killed between 151,700 and 575,400
people between 2009 and 2010. Ebola virus
(2014-2016),which ravaged West Africa,
1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
Journal of Management and Technology Vol. 16, Aug.. 2020 2
numbered approximately 11,325 deaths (Jarus,
2020). Most of those pandemics were zonotic
(transfer from animal to man) in nature.
Pandemics are large scale outbreaks of
infectious diseases, which can greatly increase
morbidity and mortality over a wide geographic
area and cause significant economic, social and
political disruptions. Evidence suggests that the
likelihood of pandemics have increased over the
past century because of increased global travels
and integration, (Madhav, 2018). The rapid spread
of the novel corona virus, is a testimony to this.
The Corona Virus Disease of 2019,
otherwise known as COVID-19, started in Wuhan,
Hubei Province, China, in December, 2019. The
World Health Organization (WHO), declared it a
public health emergency of international concern
on the 30thJanuary, 2020, and recognized it as a
pandemic on 11thMarch, 2020. The pandemic led
to severe global socio-economic disruptions,
cancellationsor postponement of sports, religious,
business and cultural events etc., including a total
or partial lockdown of human activities around
countries of the world. Efforts to contend with the
pandemic involved international and local travel
restrictions, screening, testing, self-isolation,
quarantine, closure of markets and schools
including library services.
COVID-19: Symptoms, Transmissionsand
Management
According to WHO (2020), Corona
viruses are a family of viruses that cause illnesses
ranging from the common cold to more Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The
name Corona Virus, comes from the Latin word
corona, which means„ crown‟ or „halo‟. This is
because under the electron microscope, each virus
appears to be surrounded by a solar corona or
crown. The most common symptoms of Covid-19
are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients
may have aches and pains, nasal congestion,
runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. WHO added
that these symptoms are usually mild and begin
gradually. However, some infected persons are
asymptomatic, i.e. showing neither sign nor
symptom. Older people and those with underlying
medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart
diseases, diabetes, asthma, etc, are more likely to
develop serious illnesses.
COVID-19 is very contagious. It can be
contracted when exposed to droplets from coughs
and sneezes of an infected person. Another
medium is touching contaminated surfaces and
then transferring the virus into the body through
any of the orifices such as mouth, nose and eyes.
According to WHO (2020), healthy individuals
can remain protected or be cured if infected by
observing the following rules:
Hand Washing/Sanitization: regularly and
thoroughly washing of hands with soap and
running water for at least 20 seconds or using
alcohol-based hand sanitizer. This would kill
the viruses by bursting their protective
bubbles.
Maintaining Social Distancing: maintain a
minimum of 1meter (3 feet) distance between
yourself and anyone who is coughing or
sneezing. This is to avoid contracting the
virus from droplets either by breathing in or
physical touch, in case the person is a
sufferer. Social distancing is achieved by
staying at home; limiting travels, avoiding
crowded places, etc.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth: our
hands touch many surfaces and can pick up
viruses. Once contaminated, hands can
transfer the virus to the nose, eyes or mouth.
From there, the virus could gain entrance into
the body.
Practice of Respiratory Hygiene: WHO
recommends good respiratory hygiene. This
involves covering one‟s mouth and nose with
tissue when coughing or sneezing. It involves
the disposal of the used tissue immediately or
1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
Journal of Management and Technology Vol. 16, Aug.. 2020 3
coughing into one‟s flexed elbow rather than
into the fist. WHO also recommends wearing
of surgical masks for those predisposed to
infection, particularly health workers and
care-givers. This is also applicable to the
infected, as wearing masks can limit the
volume ofdroplets dispersed when talking,
coughing or sneezing.
Early Medical Care: anyone with the fever,
cough,sneeze and difficulty with breathing,
should call the relevant agency in advance
and seek medical attention immediately. This
would protect the person and those around
the environment.
Self-isolation: individuals who suspect they
have been infected with COVID-19, and
those who may have been exposed to
infected person(s) and who have recently
travelledto endemic countries or states, are
advised to self-isolate him or herself at home
for 14 days. This is really the gestation
period of the virus. They are to contact the
relevant agency if they notice any symptom.
The COVID-19 pandemic,has thrown
up a new and unprecedented social
environment. Libraries across the world are
responding in various ways to stem the tide.
Nigerian libraries cannot be left in the
woods, hence this research.
The Library in COVID-19 Pandemic
Libraries are places of learning and
connection for all ages and backgrounds. This
includes even periods of pandemic. Library
services are essential services for community
recovery in times of pandemic and should be
recognized as such by governments, particularly
in Nigeria. Information is very vital to human
existence, progress and a resource to solving life
challenges including the pandemic. The following
are crucial roles of the library during the
pandemic like the COVID-19:
1. The library helps to provide health
professionals and scientists with access to
organized information materials that would
enable them respond tothe pandemics
appropriately. This is in terms of
management of the disease and research
(American Library Association,2020).
2. The library helps users and citizens to choose
reliable sources of information about the
pandemic in order to counter extremely viral
fake news, particularly on the social and
informal media.
3. The library provides online library
instructions and promotes media literacy.
4. As an agent of social communication, the
library reaches her teeming clientele by
posting vital pieces of information on
COVID-19 on a special section of her
website. Posters in local language(s) could
also be designed to convey information to the
populace.
5. The library provides reference services
including referral services to members of the
community, who need specialized
information on the pandemic.
6. Another important role of the library is to
support all forms of research about the
COVID-19 pandemic and enhance the
publication and use of research results.
7. The library acquires and organizes
information resources from credible
organizations like the WHO and Centres of
Disease Control for countries and regions.
8. The library undertakes remote services to
users such as digital lending and other online
resources and services in order to limit
physical visits to the library.
9. For enhanced access to relevant materials,
the library carries out indexing of articles and
newspaper clipping.
10. The library helps to provide reading
materials for enhanced use of leisure as well
1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
Journal of Management and Technology Vol. 16, Aug.. 2020 4
as resources on stress, anxiety management
and promotion of positive mental health.
This is particularly important for the aged,
who are more susceptible and submissive to
COVID -19.
11. The preservation and conservation roles of
the library are crucial with respect to
publications on COVID-19. The library
preserves and conserves resources to serve as
reference materials for future use.
Creative Adaption Strategies for Effective
Library Services
Libraries around the world, are facing
hard choices bothering on which services to offer
and how, ranging from minimal restrictions to full
closure. Governments themselves are taking
different approaches in sometimes ordering the
closure of all institutions or permitting the
operating of some which are termed as essential
services. In Nigeria, most periods of the early
stage of the pandemic, before the community
infection stage, and in order to flatten the
transmission curve, offices were permitted to open
for staff on grade levels 14 and above only.
Libraries fall within these categories. However, to
reaffirm her relevance during the partial lockdown
and after, there is urgent need for libraries in
Nigeria to develop creative strategies in order to
adapt itself effectively to the new environment
created by the COVID-19. This is to be done with
out compromising the safety of her personnel and
patrons. This is critical against the backdrop of the
view that the Corona Virus will not be totally
eliminated in the foreseeable future.
The Oxford Dictionary of Current
English,(2006), defines the word „creative‟ as
“involving the use of imagination to produce new
ideas or things”. The concept, adaptation, is used
mainly in the natural sciences. It can be defined as
any alteration in the structure or function of an
organism or any of its parts that results from
natural selection, and by which an organism
becomes better fitted to survive and multiply in its
environment. However, the definition of
adaptation in evolutionary theory is preferred in
this work as “the biological mechanism by which
organisms adjust to new environments or to
changes in their current environment (National
Geographic, 2018). In the laws of library science
propounded by Ranganathan, R., the library is a
growing organism (Zabel, 2011). The implication
in this context is that, libraries must adapt to new
environments or changes in her current
environment such as the radical change created by
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Creative adaptation of library services in
the context of this research, therefore, is the use of
the imagination by library managements to create
a dynamic service system and procedures that
adjust the library safely into the new COVID-19
pandemic environment.
Researchers have established stability and
survival of Corona Virus on different surfaces
including books and non-book materials, and the
manner of transmissions through droplets and
proximity to infected persons (National Institutes
of Health, 2020; Healthcare Infection Society,
2020). This has grave implications for library
services. To mitigate the pandemic and continue
to provide services, the creative adaptation
strategies are drawn videlicet:
Amendment of Library Policy
A library policy is a carefully designed,
broadly stated, written guideline for action and
decisions approved by the Library Management
Board or Committee (State Library of Iowa,
2020). The policy is subject to review from time
to time as services and procedures are reviewed
by the library. As a guiding document therefore,
library policy must be reviewed to cater for the
strategies that are to be discussed.
Physical Distancing
To reduce the risk of infection, it is very
1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
Journal of Management and Technology Vol. 16, Aug.. 2020 5
important to avoid physical contact or extreme
closeness. One important way to do this is to cut
down on the number of people in the library at a
given time. This would, however, depend on the
available space. To check admission of readers,
ticketing system can be applied. Alternatively,
users could make remote contact with readers‟
services desk to book appointment in advance.
Further strategy to ensure physical distance is to
cancel or remove some chairs. For instance, a
reading table with four chairs should be reduced
to two, which are placed at the farthest points
from each other. Some academic libraries provide
spaces for group reading/discussion within the
library building. Such areas should be closed
temporarily.
Quarantine of Books and Non-book Materials
A critical question in the library field has
been on the risk of infection through contact with
infected library materials, particularly books.
Library materials are critical to library services
and remain the soul of library operations.
Researches have shown that the virus has different
life spans on different surfaces. According to
Kampt, Todt, Pfaender and Steinmann (2020),
paper and glass surfaces harbour the COVID -19
Virus for 4-5 days; metal surfaces, 5 days; wood,
4 days; plastics, 6-9 days, and ceramics, 5 days. It
is important to note that the durations noted
above, are under ideal laboratory conditions.
According to Kampt, et.al. (2020),the quarantine
of returned books is the most effective known
method of disinfection. They noted that infected
surfaces can be inactivated with 62-71% ethanol,
0.5% hydrogen peroxide or 0.1% sodium
hypochlorite within 1 minute. However, the ready
availability of these substances in libraries and the
discipline among staff to effectively carry out the
disinfection is doubtful. Ewen (2020),
corroborated this when he opined that time is the
best disinfectant of library materials. The
suggested quarantine period for paper-based
materials ranges from 48-120 hours. This should
be observed. For non-book materials such as CDs,
DVDs, braille, archival folders, covered books
etc., also range from 96-216 hours.
Libraries should designate a room in their
buildings as materials‟ isolation room for those
items that may have recently been exposed to the
COVID-19 Virus. The materials when received,
should be labeled with dates of when they entered
quarantine, and when they are safe to be
reshelved. This procedure ensures protection of
both the library and the public. Librarians are not
equipped to make recommendations on virology,
bacteriology, immunology or any other medical
issues. Consequently, quarantine of library
materialsbeyond the viability of the virus, is the
best option.
Remote Services
In the presence of COVID-19,it is advisable
to promote online services in order to limit
physical visits to the library. This can be achieved
through the deployment of digital resources e.g. e-
books, e-journals, e-newspapers, e-audio books,
etc. Others are online instruction and virtual
programmes. According to IFLA (2020), libraries
around the world have been working hard to
provide access to collections and services
remotely; often investing time and effort in
updating websites and computer systems in order
to meet with demand. While many libraries in the
developed economies already have a strong digital
presence, the same cannot be said of Nigeria.
Indeed, a great majority of libraries in Nigeria are
still manually driven with exception of some
university libraries. The COVID-19 pandemic has
posed a challenge to Nigerian libraries to
accelerate their shift online. For instance, some
secondary schoolsemploy applications like
Edmodo.co, Meetingsamer, WebEx, Myskool,
LinkedIn, YouTube, etc, to teach students during
the prolong lockdown. School libraries should
sustain her complimentary role by sending
relevant e-books along. Efforts should be geared
1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
Journal of Management and Technology Vol. 16, Aug.. 2020 6
to the purchase of e-books across libraries,
particularly those of public and academic.
Libraries should also make efforts to provide
materials that address topical issues like stress,
anxiety and the promotion of positive mental
health. These are issues patrons face at the period
of pandemic.
Working from Home
Given the federal government directive,
restricting staff below grade level 14 from offices,
the library might have to arrange for remote
working effectively. They should ensure that
concerned staff have the tools and training
necessary to work effectively and safely from
home and can be communicated with ease.
Virtual Reference Service
This service is a very crucial one at a
period like this, and must be intensified and
publicized. A lot of people are anxious to access
information on the pandemic and other related
issues. The library must remain as a bridge
between the patron and the needed information.
Both synchronous (real-time communication) and
asynchronous (time-delayed communication)
services must be provided using the electronic
mail; web forms; reference chat /instant
messaging; Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP);video conferencing; online pathfinder;
chatter bots; Ask services; collaborative networks,
etc.
The Library Catalogue
The library catalogue is a veritable tool for
enhanced information access and retrieval in the
library. It is all the time useful for patrons and
could be accessed online as Online Public Access
Catalogue (OPAC)and on the Internet as web
OPAC. Others are computerized catalogue; card
catalogue or book catalogue within libraries. The
use of OPAC and web OPAC, where applicable
should be encouraged during the pandemic. This
reduces physical contact with materials hence
reduced risk of infection. Where they are lacking,
computerized catalogue should be used. However,
given the general acceptance that computer
peripherals carry a high risk of contamination,
users must be made to sanitize their hands at the
point of use. The devices should be
decontaminated at the end of each day. Handling
the card catalogue is more complex in view of the
size and number of cards available for search. As
much as possible therefore, use of card catalogue
should he suspended temporarily. In unfortunate
cases, where only card catalogue exists as in many
rural and semi-urban public libraries in Nigeria,
library staff should be assigned to assist users in
the search in order to greatly reduce the risk of
contamination.
Regular Risk Assessment
Given the significant new risk brought
about by the COVID-19 pandemic, risk
assessment should be carried out regularly. Risk
assessment is designed to ensure employers have
adequately considered the things that can go
wrong in the workplace and should take into
account: people, premises, plant and procedures
(Legislation Watch,
2016). The Health and Safety Executive
(1999),suggests that risk assessment should
follow 5 simple steps:
Step 1: Identify the hazards.
Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and
how.
Step 3: Evaluate the risk and decide on
precautions.
Step 4: Record your findings and implement
them.
Step 5: Review your assessment and update if
necessary.
Regular risk assessment is necessary to ensure
that staff and patrons do not let down their guards.
Instead, the hygiene protocols, quarantine and
1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
Journal of Management and Technology Vol. 16, Aug.. 2020 7
decontamination procedures should
bestrictlyadhered to.
Response Protocol to COVID-19
While efforts must be geared towards total
prevention, library must develop protocols for
how to respond in case a patron or staff shows
symptoms in the library. Phone numbers and other
emergency contact of relevant health agencies
must be readily available. A special room should
be set aside where such suspected victim may be
temporarily isolated pending transfer to health
center. Efforts should be made to identify and
decontaminate surfaces that may have been
contaminated while individuals who had contact
with the suspected case, must self isolate pending
the test results.
Staff Safety
This is of utmost priority. All staff must
be well protected, fit, sound in health and
comfortable in providing services. If government
should consider library services as an essential
service in periods of emergency such as COVID -
19 pandemic, library staff should be recognized as
front line workers and given life insurances, and
other special benefits as approved for other
workers on essential services.
Apart from observing the recommended
hygiene protocols (as library management must
ensure that all required items are constantly
available), management mustensure that staff have
necessary materials and training to stay safe and
well (mentally and physically). The number and
duration of meetings should be reduced.Other
convenient means of communication e.g., phone
call, email, SMS, social media handles, etc should
be employed.
Communication
Communication is germane to effective
implementation of the strategies discussed in this
section. In this crisis of COVID -19, library
managers must obtain and use the right tools to
keep staff and patrons well informed. WHO
believes it is now time to acknowledge that
communication expertise has become as essential
to outbreak control as epidemiological training
and laboratory analysis,(WHO, 2020).
To effectively communicate in the library
during a pandemic and always, management must:
have a strong internal communication
plan in place;
ensure that her response to unfolding
issues is managed well;
ensure that staff members and patrons
find out key information from the library
before they get to hear of it from
somewhere else;
use multiple communication channels and
ensure staff and patron know about them
as much as it concerns them through
electronic and manual channels;
use the leaders effectively to deploy
information;
keep everybody informed as situations
develops and changes;
maintain sound communication with the
mangers of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion
As a social agency, the library is not
immuned to social afflictions including
pandemics. However, the library must look for
ways to cope with such a disaster and remain
afloat to carry on with her role of information
provision. Information in our contemporary age,
can be rated next to oxygen as there can be no
meaningful progress in society without it. One of
the profound laws of library science by
Ranganathan, R., in his “Five Laws of Library
Science” propounded in 1931 and enunciated in
Zabel (2011) is “the library is a growing
organism”. This law does not only reflect in the
1 Adayi, O. Innocent, 2Idoko, Rabi, 3Odeh, O. Alice and 4Onah, C. Jude
Journal of Management and Technology Vol. 16, Aug.. 2020 8
material growth, usage and sometimes weeding of
library materials. In the context of this work, it is
demonstrated in adaptation due to dynamic
services & procedures created to protect against
COVID-19, while living up to its bidding in
information service to her clientele. Adopting the
creative strategies proffered in this study, would
provide the needed balance
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