Pandemic Effects and Library Directions (Africa, Americas and Europe)
Channel: IFLA
Date: 03/02/2022

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, OCLC has connected with leaders and staff at cultural heritage institutions from around the world to understand how the crisis has impacted them, their institutions, and communities, how they have responded, and how the experiences are shaping their future plans.

In this session, Ixchel Faniel, PhD, from OCLC Research summarises findings from interviews with 29 library leaders from 11 countries conducted during the height of the pandemic, the themes of which were synthesized in the briefing, The New Model Library: Pandemic Effects and Library Directions.

The session also included an overview and update from Kendra Morgan, OCLC Program Manager of the REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM) project, which has produced science-based information that helps cultural heritage institutions navigate the uncertainty of the pandemic and better prepare for future public health crises.

Speakers
Ixchel M. Faniel is a Senior Research Scientist at OCLC Research. She conducts user and library studies related to research data management, reuse, and curation practices and online information behavior. For more information, see her Orcid profile.

Kendra Morgan is a Senior Program Manager with WebJunction, supporting the REopening Archives, Libraries and Museums (REALM) project. She is particularly interested in the role libraries and museums play in supporting healthy communities, and has managed a number of grant-funded programs that address those issues.

Key Links
New Model Library
Briefing: https://www.oclc.org/research/publications/2021/oclcresearch-new-model-library.html
Interview with Frederic Bertley, COSI: https://www.oclc.org/realm/resources/one-year.html#frederic

REALM
REALM Project Website: https://www.oclc.org/realm/home.html
Lab Testing Results: https://www.oclc.org/realm/research/lab-testing.html
Research Briefings and Literature: https://www.oclc.org/realm/research.html
Toolkit and Checklists: https://www.oclc.org/realm/resources/considerations-and-checklists.html
Resource Roundups: https://www.oclc.org/realm/resources/resource-roundups.html
BMJ Article on approaching uncertainty: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3349