The USP Library
Digital Solution for Library Users in Times of COVID-19
As many national, public and university libraries across the region close due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The University of the South Pacific Library has adapted and remained accessible remotely for students and users across its member countries and USP Library Network.
International library trends guided the Library’s decision to redirect its collection development to digital resources. This augured well for its library users as the University expanded its ICT reach and has ensured that the Library in this COVID-19 environment can serve its users without disadvantage.
The University Librarian, Ms Elizabeth Fong believes that USP Library’s development strategies to transit to digital earlier on has made it easier for it to adapt to this shifting landscape.
“Our Library Mission talks about equitable access to excellent resources, services and facilities and our responses to users’ needs and their satisfaction stem f rom this,” she said.
Complemented by online training of its users to apply information literacy skills to enable efficient use of its resources reaffirms its expenditure of $1.9m per annum in the right direction.
The Library website (www.usp. ac.fj/library) is its gateway to
a wide range of services and collections.
Its multimedia, digital, and print resources include 55 plus online subject and multidisciplinary databases that provide access to 80,000 plus full-text serials, 200,000 plus e-books and over a million theses accessible 24/7 in addition to its valuable special collections of Pacific Collection of print and electronic serial titles.
With the implementation in 2019 of the Integrated Library System, Symphony users have access to the EBSCO Discovery Service that enables users to search across the online public access catalogue and digital resources with one search entry. Prior to this, users were subject to individual OPAC and database searches that was timeconsuming.
The Library has a digitisation unit with appropriate equipment and trained staff who convert print materials in the Pacific Collection into digital format to enable online access to its valuable research collection and comply with the Fiji Copyright Act (1999) before making it accessible online.
“A valuable product of the Unit is the USP Theses Portal which enables online access to theses awarded by the USP since 1995 “
“All of the Library’s activities linked to digitisation are for the purpose of equity of access to information for our academics, staff and people
of the region,” she added.
The USP Library is an essential service in the core business of the University and in the lockdown the Library’s approach has been to maintain all services across the entire network of USP libraries.
These services include:
(a) The Library’s Information Research Skills (IRS) Laucala walk-in programmes that have been converted to walk-online programmes by Library professionals and paraprofessional staff using Zoom. This is to help users with their research skills.
(b) Support for the increased demand for subscription for eBooks for prescribed and supplementary texts has resulted in the re-allocation of Library funds from print to electronic resources.
c) Linked to (b) is the expansion of eBook versions of titles in the Reserve Collection.
(d) With no access to the print collection at Laucala Campus, students are not disadvantaged and in addition are encouraged to use Open Education Resources (OER) that are available online f ree of charge.
(e)
Prior to the pandemic, an online reference service that was largely for non-Laucala students is now available to
Laucala and Lautoka students as well. A professional staff member is dedicated to this service.
(f) Fines have been removed for items (books, laptops) that are overdue at Laucala & Lautoka post-April 21, 2021. This is to ensure that users can still access e-resources regardless of account status.
With the removal of onsite services, the Library has strengthened the marketing of its services in response to changing demands.
“Our team of library professionals have been responding to users’ needs via their student emails and social media platforms on specific online resources and services including most recently online exam papers as the University enters semester examinations,” Ms Fong said.
The digital platform has enhanced the need for online research skills that are part of courses such as UU100 and the IRS for PG students and library walk-online sessions.
“Users have to enhance both their information search skills and ICT capabilities and understanding. These skills save time, allows users to find the best information more efficiently; they are lifelong skills especially needed now to cope with learning and they are being taught and supported by the USP Library,” Ms Fong added.