To Investigate the Use of ICTs in Service Delivery by School Libraries Amidst the Covid 19 Pandemic: Case Study of Munali Secondary School Library and International School of Lusaka Library in Lusaka Area

Abstract

COVID-19 is a pandemic that has hit all parts of the world. The virus started from china and spread across all continents. The cure for the disease is yet to be found hence the only way to be safe is by not getting it. To ensure the safety of people, world leaders have asked members of their countries to take certain precautions such as the use of masks, social distancing, the closure of places of gathering such as schools, work places, churches, bars, etc. Due to the closures, these places have had to introduce ICTs in the provision of services and libraries are no exceptions. Therefore, the research was undertaken to investigate the use of the use of ICTs in service delivery by school libraries amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study of Munali secondary school library and International school library in Lusaka Area. To have a properly structured research, specific objectives were developed and these included objectives such as; to investigate the use of ICTs in service delivery by schools while libraries close due to COVID-19, to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to investigate the services introduced by libraries due COVID-19, to assess whether the staff were qualified enough to effectively implement the introduction of ICTS and to also determine the challenges faced by the libraries in service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to get the needed information, the researchers administered questionnaires to both the pupils and the staff members of the schools because they are the users, as well as the librarians. From the information gathered some of the major findings included that some schools such as the Munali secondary school libraries did not have any ICTs whilst other school libraries like that of international school of Lusaka were fully equipped. Other libraries have trained librarians managing the library while others were managed by any staff member available. The major conclusions from the findings was that the ICTs introduced in some schools greatly helped the pupils stay on track with the academic calendar and not lack behind due to the closure while other school libraries totally stopped providing services because they did not have any ICTS. Hence recommendations included the hiring and training of librarians, introduction of ICTs in school libraries that did not have any expansion of the services being provided.