An academic year in the age of a pandemic and e-services in the library system!

The new academic year is inevitable. In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, some universities decide to limit classroom classes in favor of various forms of distance learning. In this way, university authorities want to limit the possibility of virus transmission and protect, among others, university lecturers, without resigning from continuing education of students.

How to make the book collections available to students in this situation? It’s no secret that university libraries are crowded throughout the academic year. Their closure due to the virus will mean no access to scientific materials for many students – not everyone can buy the literature they need. On the other hand, leaving university libraries to operate unchanged when classes are held remotely contradicts the idea of ​​protective activities.

There is, however, a third option.

The PROLIB library system and the INTEGRO multi-search engine allow for the implementation of many library operations remotely, without the need for direct contact. The e-services provided by INTEGRO include i.e. booking computer rooms and workstations (in a situation when a visit to the reading room is necessary), registration using the e-PUAP profile, online payments, ordering scans and photocopies, home delivery of ordered books and other items and many other amenities.

There are still a few weeks before the start of the new academic year. It is worth considering the development of the library system with additional functionalities to meet the challenges of the new times.