Navigating the New Normal: A Study on the Impacts of the Pandemic on Electronic Resource Management at Academic Libraries

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, academic libraries saw a shift toward remote learning leading to increased dependency on electronic resources. This article explores the implications of the pandemic on electronic resource management, focusing on modifications in budget allocation, licensing, accessibility, and staffing. Drawing from a data set of 120 survey responses in 2023 in the United States, this article illustrates the challenges academic libraries faced and changes made during the pandemic. These findings reiterate the essential role of electronic resources and emphasize the need for academic libraries to continually adapt their management strategies to meet user needs in the post-pandemic era.

Keywords:

• Academic libraries
• Covid-19
• electronic resources
• post-pandemic era

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jia He

Jia He has worked as a Cataloging and Electronic Resources Librarian at the University of South Alabama since 2014. Previously she worked as a library staff at the Content Access Management/Electronic Resources Unit, Main Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She received her Master of Library and Information Science from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee in 2013. Jia’s areas of research focus on cataloging, electronic resources management, and outreach library services for international students in academic libraries.