Innovation in the Provision of Library Services in Universities in Zambia:

Abstract

The ease of accessibility of information due to technological innovations has presented challenges to libraries and librarians to look for more proactive ways of serving their users in order to remain relevant. For more than a decade, librarians in the SCECSAL region have devised and implemented innovative library services as evidenced by papers in conference proceedings stretching as far back as 2012. Contributions from libraries in Zambia were visibly absent, which raises a question whether there are no innovations in library services taking place in the country. In the wake of COVID-19, librarians in Zambia shared their innovations in offering library service during this crisis and beyond, which included use of email, tele-conferencing, and social media platforms such as Facebook, and WhatsApp to conduct orientations, register users and for Selective Dissemination of Information, to mention a few. This paper is based on a survey that was conducted to obtain a comprehensive picture of innovative library services that are currently prevalent in university libraries in Zambia. The results revealed that more than 90% of the libraries were offering innovative services, notable of which are: videos for library orientation, online registration of users, electronic book downloads from open source, library blog and plagiarism check. Challenges faced include, inadequate ICT infrastructure and technical know-how, financial constraints, and crippling staffing levels. In conclusion, the paper recommends that Library and Information Association of Zambia and the Zambian Library Consortium spearhead collaboration among public and private universities in skills exchange, and replication of best innovative services in all universities. These survey results are important because they provide a basis for university librarians in Zambia to collaborate for the benefit of their users. It also contributes to the literature on innovation in library services in the SCECSAL region.