Purpose

The purpose of this case study is to assess and compare the performance of an academic library, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on data collected from the library management system, usage reports of online databases, and monthly reports and archives to evaluate and assess library performance in managerial activities, collection development, collection treatment, collection circulation, usage of digital resources, quality control, reference services and information literacy activities. Frequency distributions and non-parametric tests were used in identifying differences and testing hypotheses.

Findings

The study found that library performance before the COVID-19 pandemic outperformed library performance during the pandemic in collection development, collection treatment, collection circulation, access and use of digital resources, quality control and information literacy. On the other hand, the library demonstrated higher performance in managerial activities and reference services during the COVID-19 pandemic than that of before the pandemic period. Interestingly, the analysis of the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test revealed statistically no significant difference in the library performance before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results supported all the eight hypotheses stated in this study.

Research limitations/implications

This is a case study based on data collected from an academic library in the UAE before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings may not be generalized and may differ if more data are analyzed from many academic libraries.

Practical implications

COVID-19 pandemic is a turning point for library managers to increase the number of digital resources and services, to ensure that library staff are equipped with essential and up-to-date information and communication technology (ICT) skills and knowledge, to ensure that library users are equipped with essential and up-to-date information literacy skills and knowledge. These will enable them to satisfy users' information needs and ensure library operation in disasters and crisis periods.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies conducted in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to evaluate library performance before and during COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of the study could be an important reference in understanding how libraries responded to COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East. The results of the study may contribute to the provision of digital resources and services during the pandemic and disasters in the UAE and the Arab world.

中文翻译：

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在 COVID-19 大流行之前和期间评估学术图书馆的表现：阿联酋的案例研究

目的

本案例研究的目的是评估和比较阿拉伯联合酋长国 (UAE) 在 2019 年冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 大流行之前和期间的学术图书馆的表现。

设计/方法/方法

该研究基于从图书馆管理系统收集的数据、在线数据库的使用报告以及月度报告和档案，以评估和评估图书馆在管理活动、馆藏开发、馆藏处理、馆藏流通、数字资源使用、质量控制方面的表现。 、参考服务和信息素养活动。频率分布和非参数检验用于识别差异和检验假设。

发现

研究发现，COVID-19 大流行之前的图书馆在馆藏开发、馆藏处理、馆藏流通、数字资源的访问和使用、质量控制和信息素养方面的表现优于大流行期间的图书馆。另一方面，在 COVID-19 大流行期间，图书馆在管理活动和参考服务方面表现出比大流行之前更高的表现。有趣的是，对 Wilcoxon 符号秩检验的分析显示，在 COVID-19 大流行之前和期间，库性能在统计上没有显着差异。结果支持了本研究中陈述的所有八个假设。

研究限制/影响

这是一个案例研究，基于在 COVID-19 大流行之前和期间从阿联酋学术图书馆收集的数据。如果从许多学术图书馆分析更多数据，结果可能不具有普遍性，并且可能会有所不同。

实际影响

COVID-19 大流行是图书馆管理者增加数字资源和服务数量的转折点，以确保图书馆工作人员具备必要和最新的信息和通信技术 (ICT) 技能和知识，以确保图书馆用户具备必要的和最新的信息素养技能和知识。这些将使他们能够满足用户的信息需求并确保图书馆在灾难和危机时期的运作。

原创性/价值

这是海湾合作委员会 (GCC) 国家为评估 COVID-19 大流行之前和期间图书馆性能而进行的为数不多的研究之一。该研究的结果可能是了解图书馆如何应对中东 COVID-19 大流行的重要参考。研究结果可能有助于在阿联酋和阿拉伯世界的大流行和灾难期间提供数字资源和服务。