This study, based on data from 60 North American academic libraries, charts their re-opening plans, providing detailed data on the library foot traffic that they expect for the summer and fall semesters and how they plan to deal with the challenges of opening during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey provides data on plans to limit (or not) the number of students in the library, and which activities will be permitted, permitted with modifications or banned. The study looks at how libraries plan to implement social distancing and hygiene concepts, and at plans to bring back, or not, or to what extents, staff to the library. The study looks at library strategies for a period that at most campuses is likely to include more distance and hybrid learning than in the past, and how this and other development affect academic library objectives and performance. The report provides data and commentary on plans for COVID testing of library employees and other measures to prevent or deal with potential outbreaks, in the library, and the college or university as a whole.
Just a few of this 62-page report’s many findings are that:
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Private colleges plan to bring back for physical work in the library a higher percentage of their employees than are public colleges.
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46.7% of those sampled had confidence that their state governors would make good decisions on when to lift or relax stay at home orders in their state.
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25% of junior colleges are planning for students to have full restoration of access to workstations for the Fall 2020 semester.
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13.3% of libraries have a plan to test staff for COVID-19 prior to bringing them back to work in the library.
Data in the report is broken out by size and type of institution, by tuition level, for public and private institutions and enrolment level. A PDF edition of this report is currently available directly from Primary Research Group for $75.00; a print edition at the same price will be available for shipment on June 7thh, 2020 and can be ordered now. Site licenses are also available.
For a table of contents, list of participating institutions, the questionnaire and an excerpt – view the product page for this report at:
https://www.primaryresearch.com/AddCart.aspx?ReportID=618
Orders can also be emailed to: orders@primaryresearch.com or faxed to 212-412-9097. Reach us by phone at 212-736-2316 or order on our website at www.PrimaryResearch.com.