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VIRTUAL LIBRARY AS A VEHICLE FOR SURVIVAL OF EDUCATION IN A 

COVID-19 PRONE SOCIETY 

 

BY 

PETER OKECHUKWU OKAFOR 

Department Of Library and Information Science 

Federal College of Education (Technica), Umunze 

Anambra State 

 

CYNTHIA NKIRU OKEY-OKAFOR 

PROF. BEN NWABUEZE LIBRARY 

Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze 

Anambra State 

 

And 

 

JOY IFEYINWA ANYAOGU 

PROF. BEN NWABUEZE LIBRARY 

Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze 

Anambra State 

 

Abstract 

The study examined the concept of virtual library and some benefits that could be enjoyed 

by libraries if implemented during this period of covid-19. Such benefits includes: 

provision of access to databases, electronic journal, alerting services, online reference 

services, library cooperation. The study identified poor infrastructural facilities, poor 

technological facilities, lack of functional information and communication technology 

policy, cost and inadequate skilled staff among others as some of the challenges 

hindering successful implementation of virtual library project in this covid-19 era. The 

paper also discussed ways in which virtual libraries can provide more effective services 

to meet the information needs of the users in the covid-19 prone society 

Keywords: Virtual Library, Education, Covid-19 

 

Introduction 

Library is a repository of stored knowledge. The library is established to acquire, process 

and make available the stored information in whatever format. In essence, the library can 

be referred to as the life line or heart of education as it supports teaching, research and 

learning. According to Encyclopedia Americana (2014), library connotes a body of 

recorded information brought together for a specific purpose, organized for use and made 

available for users. Indeed the librarians always organize the information environment to 

reflect their readiness to provide services that will be of interest and profitable to users. 



 

 

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Virtual library and Covid-19 pandemic  

A virtual library according to Gbeje (2017), provides access to tools such as databases, 

electronic journals, alerting services, electronic reference and library cooperation. 

Folashade (2014), revealed that virtual library can be seen as an electronic access system 

that provides users with the means for discovering and retrieving information online. The 

information may be retrieved directly from within the hosting system or through links to 

other external system. Virtual library can be defined to mean a library with little or no 

physical plant of books, periodicals, reading space or support staff, but one that 

disseminate selective information directly to distributed library customers, usually 

electronically (Powell, 2010). By this definition, users can access information anywhere 

they find themselves especially during changing global pandemic emergencies such as 

coronavirus (covid-19). Harris(2014) stated that a virtual library universally implied 

electronic integration of hers services with traditional library services. He also argued 

that virtual library can equally be called a desktop library, an on-line library or an 

electronic library. 

 

Coronavirus (covid-19) was identified by the world health organization (WHO) as an 

infections disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. According to the World 

Health Organization (2020) most people infected with covid-19 will experience wild to 

moderate respiratory disease and recover without special treatment. Older people and 

those with underlying health conditions such a respiratory disease, diabetes, chronic lung 

disease and cancer are more likely to experience serious illness. The specific symptoms, 

however include fever, exhaustion and a dry cough. Other signs include shortness of 

breath, discomfort, sore throat and in very few people vomiting or running nose. Covid-

19 has taken libraries and librarians to the brick wall where they face the tough choices 

of either delivering or go into extinction. 

 

Presently in this Covid-19 era, virtual library is the answer to survival of libraries. 

Government are aligned to various approaches which demanded the closure of all 

institutions, libraries, market, industries and transportation on lockdown mode. Since 

covid-19 is life threating pandemic, it becomes increasingly important to find out the best 

method of avoiding it and showing transmission. According to Umayan (2019), the 

library today does not only serves as books storehouse but offers comprehensive services 

to its users from within the stock of the library as well as from a broad variety of external 

sources. The external sources do not mean only the conventional means like the library 

building, it may be by virtual means like the internet and other smart technology to 

disseminate information gathered. 

 

Librarians can strengthen social media skills to help the users in the difficult situation 

rising out of the suspension of physical classes and closure of physical libraries arising 

out of covid-19 lockdown with most of the information services provided through library 



 

 

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social networking pages (National Digital Library of India, 2020). In support of this, 

LadarnHarma and Madin (2020) posits that librarians can provide and share information 

quickly, efficiently and in real-time as strategies in response to covid-19 pandemic 

through their social networking pages like facebook, twitter, instagram and linkedin. 

Also in the work of Olaike and Adetore (2019)  they are of the opinion that libraries need 

to re-tool and up-skill themselves in the use of information and communication 

technology (ICT) to ensure high level of security on the information provided. Librarians 

need to be well acquainted with the use and operation of audio-visual materials in the 

virtual library in other to serve the users better. 

 

Benefits of virtual library during this period of Covid-19 

Virtual library is in the top line discussion this days as far as library is concerned. Library 

as we all know, is the heart of every nation or society. Since the outbreak of this deadly 

pandemic called COVID-19, libraries and librarians has been looking for a way to satisfy 

librarypatron’s without coming to the library. Finally it occurs to mind that virtual library 

can benefit the users if properly managed, for the survival of Education in a COVID-19 

prone society through the following ways; 

1. Provision of access to databases: Virtual library can be of a great help to library 

users in this period of COVID-19 by provision of free access to database. This 

will give library clientele the opportunity to access any information they need in 

the library from their home thereby reducing the spread of this deadly pandemic 

called COVID-19. Ali (2020) stated that to avoid the spread of the virus, library 

users are no longer allowed to access library databases within physical building 

of the library rather than from their different homes. 

2. Electronic journal: Electronic journals also known as E-journal are scholarly 

journals or intellectual magazines that can be accessed via electronic 

transmission. Some journals are born digital in that way they are solely published 

on the web and in a digital format, but most electronic journals originated as print 

journals which subsequently evolved to have an electronic version while still 

maintaining a print component. According to Mian (2020), E-mail can be linked 

to all library users for effective information on current journals thereby making it 

possible for users to access those journals from their various homes to avoid the 

spread of COVID-19. 

3. Provision of alerting services: Due to the spread of this deadly pandemic 

(COVID-19), virtual librarians are in a high spirit to inform all the library users  

in there information database on the latest or current information needed by them 

to avoid visiting the library thereby reducing the spread of COVID-19. The alert 

information or service is based on one’s area of interest. Alert services will make 

the researchers to have rest of mind, believing that once there is any information, 

it will surely get to them. According to Aina (2014), many users can access 



 

 

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information simultaneously. From single electronic site from many locations and 

copies of information can be delivered with electronic speed. 

4. Library cooperation: Virtual library also provides an avenue for sharing 

knowledge and other source of information. It can provide a forum to inter-

change ideas from resource-rich to resource poor libraries or from resource poor 

to resource rich libraries. Consequently, all participating libraries will share 

information through global network of virtual libraries (Gbaje, 2014). Sharing of 

library resources among one library and another will go a long way in assisting 

the library to have access to the material they do not have, thereby at the same 

time be of better advantage to library users in the sense that they will have access 

to those material right point from there different homes thereby reducing the 

spread of COVID-19. Linking one virtual library with another will help both the 

librarian and the library patrons and also make education to survive in the covid-

19 prone society. 

5. Provision of reference services: virtual librarian receives volumes of inquiries 

which need satisfying responses in ensuring customer service.Smith, Jacobs and 

Lippincoth (2010) state that the librarians could simultaneously use the 

knowledge to address multiple customer queries. This is ideal for services in 

COVID-19 era. For instance, inquiries on call numbers, title of the book and 

dictionary definitions can be given instantly with mobile reference service 

technologies. 

 

Challenges Facing Virtual Library DevelopmentIn Nigeria 

In embarking on virtual library project, there are bound to be problems which can be 

converted to challenges. Many of the libraries still operate manually. There is need to 

create electronic information system that match individual patterns of thinking and 

learning. There is no area of library operations which the computer has seen applied with 

tremendous gains. Then how much of these technological devices are available in 

libraries? In the course of computerizing library operations, there are problems 

confronting the libraries. The problems include; shortage of manpower and lack of spare 

parts coupled with this problem according to Arokwe, (2011) is the problem of constant 

computer breakdown and low level of electricity supply. Eratic power resulted in the 

burning of some components which could not easily be replaced. 

 

Since virtual library project and library automation are capital-based, library managers 

need to inject adequate funds to install the required information and communication 

technology facilities and infrastructures to digitalize library services. One other approach 

could be for the authorities to solicit for international sponsorship of these projects. Such 

instance would complement the efforts of the funding government in the area of training 

and retraining of personnel and provision of information and communication technology 

(ICT)infrastructures. 



 

 

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There is no doubt that building and sustaining of virtual library requires the proper 

technological infrastructure application. These infrastructure includes 

telecommunication, servers, application platforms and software application. 

Telecommunication infrastructure is a major factor in the deployment of Information and 

Communication Technology (ICT) particularly for implementation of a virtual library 

(Ogunsola, 2016). Nigeria had recorded substantial improvement in the 

telecommunication industry over the past few years. As a result, there have been 

increased competition and availability of wide range of voice, data and internet 

applications and services. 

 

Lack of a national fiber network backbone infrastructure, bandwith and connectivity are 

some of the major issues affecting a successful implementation of virtual library. The 

erratic supply of electronic power is a major problem as most internal cafes and computer 

internets are running generators which significantly increase the cost of internet access. 

Maintaining web servers that host locally digitalized materials and other digital resources 

required web technology skills. The skill of developing, installing and configuring web 

application in a network environment requires an understanding of how to choose 

network operating system, handles different level of access privileges among users. 

 

Librarians should be prepared to meet the challenges posed by these new technologies. 

By this, librarians with this web technology skills will be required to facilitate skilled 

information retrieval and to intervene between the user and the information to help users 

evaluate what they retrieved. According to Magaji (2014), the great challenges of 

acquiring web technology skills to light up traditionally based knowledge in information 

management is now being faced by Nigerian librarians Conclusion   

 

In this period of corona virus (covid-19), librarians are charged with the responsibility to 

reach users and enhance their access for up-to-date relevant information using virtual 

library. In this era of information explosion where many information are churned out on 

daily basis, virtual librarians are expected to collect, organize, store and disseminate 

accurate information to the patrons. In this era of covid-19 pandamic, it is expected that 

virtual librarian work independently to deliver services oriented information to its clients 

from anywhere they are, at any given time. It is expected that virtual librarians share 

quality information to its clients so that they will feel comfortable and satisfy. 

 

Recommendations 

The following recommendations are made; 

1.  Skilled librarians should be employed in virtual library to disseminate proper 

information to the user. This is because traditional method of library services are no 

longer needed in this era of covid-19. 



 

 

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2. Librarians should be provided with palliatives to serve as motivation as been provided 

to other medical and health workers. This will motivate them to delivery there services 

at any given time. 

 

References 

Aina, L.O (2014). Library and information science text for African. Ibadan. Third world 

info. Pp 338-342 

Ali, M.Y and Gatiti, P (2020). The Covid-19 (coronavirus) Pandemic: reflections on the 

roles of librarians and information professionals. Health information and libraries 

journal, 37 (2), 158-162 

Arokwe, O.C (2011). Implementing a National Virtual library for Higher institutions in 

Nigeria: Library and information science research electronic journal vol. 20. Pp 

15-25 

Folashed, Y.K (2014). Attitude of library and information science students in individual 

training towards cataloguing and classification study of Lagos State Polytechnic. 

Intellectual journal  of management sciences and amenities 2 (1) 

Gbaje, E.O (2014). Virtual libraries for Nigerian libraries. Nigerian libraries 33 (3) 

Gbaje, E.S (2017) challenges of implementing virtual library for Higher institutions in 

Nigeria. Being paper presented at the 55th Annual National Conference and AGM 

on Nigerian libraries for the future progress, Development and partnership, 

September. 

Haris, M.A (2014). Encyclopedia Americana USA: scholastic library publishing. 

Laden, A, Haruna, B and Madin, A.U (2020). COVID-19 pandemic and social media 

news in Nigeria: The role of libraries and library associations in information 

dissemination. International Journals of innovation and Research in Educational 

Sciences, 7 (2): 125-133. 

Magaji, I.A (2014). Challenges of implementing virtual libraries for Higher institution in 

Nigeria. Journal of information science and education. Vol. 3 pp 21-32. 

Miam, A and Kher, S. (2020). Coronavirus: The spread of misinformation. BMC 

medicine, 18, 1-2. 

National Digital library of India (2020). COVID-19 lockdown not to affect your study. 

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Ogunsola, A.A (2016). Developing countries and the need for Virtual libraries: Problems 

and prospects Journal for social science education vol. 3 pp 202-211. 

Umayan, E. (2019). Use of social networks for dissemination of information by media 

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https://nidi/.iikgp.ac.in


 

 

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World Health Organization (2020). Infection Prevention and Control during Health care 

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