Role of Remote Access Services in Crisis Management: Perceptions and Expectations of A.C. Joshi Library Users

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to assess library users’ perceptions and expectations of Remote Access Services (RAS) following COVID-19 at the A.C. Joshi Library, Panjab University, Chandigarh. The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented crisis that severely affected the functions of academic institutions worldwide. During this period, RAS became an important part of how academic libraries deal with crises. The increasing number of COVID-19 cases and the enforcement of a statewide lockdown shifted the educational system to online learning. Moreover, all types of libraries were equally affected. This study discusses the continuity of remote access services that enable users to access academic library resources anywhere, anytime via Knimbus, MYLOFT, and RemoteXs, among others. It also explores their future expectations from such services, which offer them diverse electronic resources. The study employed a questionnaire method to get data from the research scholars at Panjab University, Chandigarh. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 100 respondents, out of which 72 responses were received. After analysing, the chi-square test and t-test were used to explore relationships among factors such as gender, age, education, users’ perceptions, and expectations. The findings revealed that most users were aware of RAS. The study is limited to users of the A.C. Joshi library, which provides a snapshot of remote access services.