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Library staff support with Fourth Industrial Revolution's application to

provide information resources to remote clients during the COVID-19 library
services

Article in Library Management · December 2021

DOI: 10.1108/LM-10-2021-0085

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43,1/2 Library staff support with Fourth
Industrial Revolution’s application
to provide information resources to
148 remote clients during the COVID-19
Received 3 October 2021
Revised 9 November 2021
library services
Accepted 13 December 2021
Tinyiko Vivian Dube
Library and Information Services, Unisa, Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract
Purpose – The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have
challenged the academic libraries system with a paradigm shift that has never been experienced before. This
article highlights how the library staff offered support with the 4IR to the remote during the COVID-19 era; to
ensure that the provision of information resources does not halt because of the imposed lockdown COVID-19
regulations. The purpose of this study was to examine the library staff support with 4IR’s application to
provide information resources to remote clients during the COVID-19 library services.
Design/methodology/approach – The study was anchored by the positivism research paradigm and used a
quantitative research approach. Microsoft Form was used to design an online questionnaire to collect data from
the library staff working in a distance education environment in Gauteng Province of South Africa. The
collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Findings – The findings discovered that the library staff was keen on job innovation; however, the COVID-19
restrictions were a major cause for the library staff not to provide information resources to remote clients effectively.
Research limitations/implications – The 4IR has both positive and negative effects on the library staff and
the remote clients. To ensure that academic libraries fully embrace the 4IR; it is imperative to examine how the
remote clients affected by digital divide can benefit from this revolution since they do not have access to adequate
gadgets such as laptops/personal computers/tablets/smartphone/iPods and data for Internet connection.
Practical implications – This study contributed to the Library and Information Science’s (LIS) field by
adding value to the knowledge base concerning how the library staff working in academic libraries operating in
a distance education environment in Gauteng Province of South Africa offered support to the remote clients
during the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted the drastic adoption of the 4IR.
Social implications – Stakeholders, library management and policymakers gained insight to revisit the
existing library staff support regarding mentoring, coaching training remote clients on how to access and
download online information resources. This is inspired by the fact that COVID-19 significantly influenced
library services’ value for knowledge by facilitating policy changes and aligning with 4IR.
Originality/value – The study greatly influences policymakers and information practitioners to mobilize new
methods of library staff support.
Keywords Academic library, COVID-19, Distance education, Fourth Industrial Revolution, Information
resources, Information technologies, Library staff, Remote clients
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) concepts have gained momentum and been attached
to debates on higher learning institutions. The 4IR has transformed all sectors around the
world, and academic libraries are not an exception. While the debate of how the 4IR could be
embraced in academic libraries, the COVID-19 emerged. The emergence of COVID-19
impacted academic libraries to swiftly embrace the 4IR for the continuity of library and
Library Management information services provision (Durodolu et al., 2021b). Therefore, institutions of higher
Vol. 43 No. 1/2, 2022
pp. 148-160
learning and academic libraries encouraged librarians to work from home and/or work on a
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0143-5124
rotation basis to curb the spread of Coronavirus. In addition to this, academic libraries shifted
DOI 10.1108/LM-10-2021-0085 to providing library and information services remotely with aid and dependence on
information technologies. This might seem problematic when realizing the digital divide Library staff
affecting most African communities, but it is considered the only option, thus embracing and support with
aligning with the 4IR (Signe et al., 2020). In the COVID-19 and 4IR era, we foresee and
foreknow that the traditional method of providing information resources will be blended with
4IR
an online platform in the roll-out traditional method of providing information resources. The
4IR that is impacted by the emergence and the spread of the Coronavirus is injected into the
teaching and learning system by accepting information technologies. The effectiveness of
this has already materialized during the national lockdown, even though the digital divide 149
issue is not adequately addressed.

2. Application of the 4IR to provide information resources to remote clients

The 4IR has brought the unification of the computing information, communications and mass-
media industries to exchange information in digital format (Patel, 2018). This unification of
technologies has impacted the way people work, live, think and play since academic libraries
are obliged to solely depend on technologies to meet remote clients’ information needs. This is
motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic that caused academic libraries to change their regular
operation. Therefore, technology became necessary as it brought hope for academic libraries to
continue to function and provide library and information services to enable the university to
achieve its objectives. Academic libraries use information technologies to preserve and
disseminate the needed information in demand by remote clients (Patil, 2018, p. 24).
IFLA has conducted a special global meeting on the 5th of July 2018 to discuss how
libraries can tackle the 4IR knowledge era (Ahmat and Hanipath, 2018, p. 56). Concerning
what was discussed in the meeting that produced positive ideas about the libraries, it was
revealed that it would produce literate, participative and informed societies. Libraries will be
trustworthy information providers, do more than what is currently with the aid of new
technologies, and provide collective access to information in all formats to help remote clients
meet their information needs (Durodolu et al., 2021a). Libraries are expected to be advocates
or facilitators of the 4IR. The 4IR has brought a drastic impact on library operations and the
provision of information resources. The advancement of information technologies helped
library staff provide value-added library and information services and remote access to
online information resources.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, academic libraries underwent a transformation due to the
4IR expected to impact or change how academic libraries operate and provide information
resources. The emergence of COVID-19 facilitated the speedy adoption of the 4IR, whereby
academic libraries shifted from physically providing information resources to support
teaching, learning and research. This has resulted in the increased usage of online
information resources, and the remote clients were left with no option but to embrace change
and learn to be self-sufficient (Cox and Felix, 2021).
The COVID-19 pandemic caused institutions of higher learning to change the conveyance
of education worldwide drastically. Remote learning was introduced to curb the Coronavirus
spread that interrupted the institution’s physical access. Academic libraries responded to this
initiative that emphasized the challenges of digitizing all the library collections. This could
demote sole dependence on information technologies to access digitized information
resources. Academic libraries that do not have digital collections and services are
experiencing challenges in ensuring remote clients access the library collection during the
COVID-19 era (Durodolu et al., 2021b; Obeidat, 2020).
Some remote clients adopt and use online information resources available on the Internet,
intranet, extranet and other technologies. This increases a demand in their libraries that remote
clients need up-to-date and relevant information resources that they can use for their studies
and research purposes (Cox and Felix, 2021; Dube, 2021a, b). This denotes that the Internet has
LM provided easy and effective access to information resources that are preserved electronically.
43,1/2 ICT assists library staff members to ensure efficient library services to remote clients. For
centuries, the telephone is one of the ICT tools that academic libraries use to communicate with
remote clients. However, the telephone is expensive when compared to other ICT tools.
When academic libraries gradually embraced the emergence of the 4IR, the Coronavirus
spread made professional bodies for the Libraries and other related sectors make
amendments on how libraries should operate swiftly. Therefore, the Library and
150 Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) (2020) considered the impact of COVID-19
and how it impacted humans’ everyday lives. On the 15th of March 2020, South Africa’s
president declared a national lockdown whereby various measures were implemented to curb
the Coronavirus spread. These measures embraced the closure of all the institutions of higher
learning (including academic libraries). Therefore, LIASA directed all Library and Information
Service workers to adhere to the COVID-19 regulations. This directive resulted from the
National Department of Health (NDH), and the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Table 1
indicates the library staff support during the COVID-19 era.
Figure 1 demonstrates the shift from print materials to digital format as the library has
been known for ages for borrowing books. The image demonstrates the ease of handling
many and heavy books that could fall and get damage. The remote clients have to visit the
physical library to take out some books. Clients are relaxed at their home’s comfort with
online means while accessing online information resources without hassle.
With the emergence of 4IR, academic libraries’ whole scenario has been done away with
print materials. This is further motivated by the social changes caused by the COVID-19
pandemic. All academic libraries use various information technology tools ranging from
acquisition, subscription, accessing and disseminating information resources.
Due to the idea that academic libraries must shift from print-based to online library
services, there are concerns that remote clients might struggle to access and download online
information resources. However, many ICT users are self-taught and can demonstrate an
understanding and knowledge of information technologies through experience (Dube, 2021a,
b; Ridwan, 2015, p. 15). This is a lesson for developing countries that academic libraries
should take advantage that comes with information technology and 4IR to access relevant
tutorial packages, software and software management, and CD-ROMs, which will enable
library staff members to install, manage, maintain and repair the library’s ICT tools to ensure
that the library operation runs smoothly for the benefit of remote clients.
In order for the library staff to effectively support teaching, learning and research during
the COVID-19 era, remote clients need to have the following ICT tools, as presented in Table 2.
Technological innovation has improved the pace of conversion of data and information
into an electronic format. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some remote clients adopt the habit
of accessing and using online information resources available on the Internet, intranet,
extranet and other technologies. This increases demand in libraries to ensure that relevant
and up-to-date information resources are available and accessible online for remote clients to
use for their studies and research purposes (Fakoya-Michael and Fakoya, 2020, p. 4). This
implies that the Internet has provided easy and effective access to information resources that
are preserved electronically. Patel (2018, p. 125) motivated this by stating that the shift from
print materials to digital format information impacted academic libraries since library staff
must be directly involved in digitizing information resources and ensuring that these
information resources are accessed in a quality readable format.

3. Problem statement
Ahmat and Hanipath (2018, p. 54) designated that the founder and executive chairman of the
World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab indicated that in the 4IR, there are megatrend drivers
Academic libraries and the COVID-19
Library staff
Themes Codes support with
4IR
Accessibility of academic When the academic library premises closed due to COVID-19 lockdown, the
libraries professional librarians and Library Management worked from home to
ensure that the library services are rendered remotely using ICT tools. This
led to the sole dependence on information technology to provide library
services (library staff) and access, search and download information 151
resources (remote clients)
The professional librarians’ primary responsibility is
- Digitization of information resources to be accessed online
- Addressing copyright issues
- Acquisition of online information resources
- Redesigning and improving library website by updating library webpage,
institutional repositories (dissertation/thesis, e-reserves, e-books and e-
journals)
- Handle online queries received via online platforms
- Assisting remote clients to access VPN Server
- Teaching library staff about plagiarism and its consequences
- Identifying training needs for library staff and remote clients
- Conducting online training on how to search the library catalogue and
download online information resources
- Conducting online library orientation
- Familiarizing remote clients with the library portal
- Promoting new information resources and information resources
These duties were conducted using ICT tools such as e-mail, WhatsApp
(chat, calls and group), social media, Teams, Zoom and other
communication technologies
The library premises were partially opened for para-professionals to work
on shift/rotations/rosters to issue to the walk-in clients that made an online
booking in advance. To return books, remote clients use a drop-box at the
main entrance
New normal library for front line During this COVID-19 era, the role of academic library staff has changed to
librarians accommodate the “new normal” of working. The library staff ensures
• The availability of COVID-19 information
• That library staff and the clients adhere to COVID-19 protocols
• The health/hygiene information and other pharmaceuticals information
are made available and put signage board for COVID-19 rules at the
library entrance and visible areas to ensure safety precautions inside the
library premises
• That library staff and remote clients to adhere to COVID-19 protocols
such as maintaining social distancing, sanitizing/washing hands with
soap and wearing a mask in public spaces
• That returned books are quarantines for 72 h before putting them on the
shelves
• Librarians are responsible for counseling and encouraging the students
to stay at home when they feel seek or have symptoms of COVID-19
• The library staff should check the body temperature of all the remote
clients visiting the library premises. Clients with a body temperature
above 37.58 were denied entry and encouraged to go for the COVID-19
test or quarantine
• The browsing of book shelves was monitored, and the library staff
recommends books to limit browsing the shelves, thus curbing the Table 1.
spread of the Coronavirus Library staff support
• The librarians conduct information literacy/awareness regarding and the services
misinformation/disinformation/fake news provided during the
Source(s): Rafiq et al. (2021, p. 4) COVID-19 era
LM within the online and the physical factors that hinder the usual ways of human lifestyle, the
43,1/2 workplace operations and the government policies have to be amended. This is further
motivated due to the social changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the
technological advancement that is driven by the 4IR that seems to be leading academic libraries
at the institutions of higher learning toward operating as online instead of the hybrid library to
meet the information needs of remote clients. While this might look like a progressive
development, it might become problematic to some remote clients who may not have the
152 required technology and data to remotely access information resources and services from the
academic library. This concern came about due to debates on the media that higher education
institutions must migrate to online teaching and learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Dipa,
2020). Various South African universities have already unfolded their plan for remote learning
and teaching.

3.1 Research questions

(1) How could the library staff support the remote clients with the provision of
information resources during the 4IR and the COVID-19 era?
(2) What Information and Communication Technologies tools needed by remote clients
to be on par with the 4IR?
(3) Are the academic library staff working in a distance education environment open to
job innovation to provide library support to remote clients?

4. Originality
Due to the need for academic libraries operating in a distance education environment to
embrace the 4IR because of the social changes resulting from the COVID-19; adaptions and
improvements to distance education library services in an online environment are required to
ensure that remote users can obtain similar services and access to information than was the
case a prior outbreak of the pandemic.

5. Research methodology
This paper was guided by the positivism research paradigm, employing the quantitative
research approach whereby the questionnaire was used as a data collection instrument. The
study targeted library staff working in academic libraries that operate in a distance education
environment in Gauteng Province of South Africa. Since it was impossible to determine the
number of targeted populations, cluster sampling was employed. Cluster sampling is the

Figure 1.
Shift from print to
digital format
ICT tools Description

Internet Internet is regarded as an essential component of information technology tools that use the network to connect people and
communicate online. To effectively render library and information services to remote clients, it is imperative to have an Internet
connection, gadgets compatible with the computer and an Internet connection. The following are the information technology
tools needed by the remote clients to ensure the effective delivery of information resources during the COVID-19 era
Computers/laptops/notebooks Adebayo et al. (2018) indicated that computers/laptops and notebooks are fundamental tools to access online information
resources. During the COVID-19 era, these are still considered pivotal information technology tools that can be used for different
activities such as information creation, processing, storing, analyzing and disseminating information for sustainable
development. The remote clients are recommended to use computers as they have been considered a potential asset due to their
speedy processing and information delivery. With the emergence of the 4IR and the COVID-19 pandemic, academic library staff
and remote clients should invest in computers/laptops/notebooks to be on par with the technological development and ensure
that remote clients’ needs are met. Consequently, the library staff also needs these tools to interact with the library staff and
perform searches and downloads without depending on the assistance of the library staff
Smartphones/tablets Smartphones/tablets are gadgets that most remote clients have, and they have computer capabilities. Emezie and Nwaohiri
(2013, p. 36) delineated that smartphones/tablets have enhanced communication and how information is created, conveyed and
accessed. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, smartphones/tablets are considered the most convenient gadget for remote
clients. Most of the remote clients use their smartphones/tablets than computers. Therefore, library staff members can provide
adequate library services through these devices by supporting learning, teaching and research. The library staff can also send
out bulk Short Message Services (SMS) to remote clients to answer reference queries, alert or notify clients of the newly
introduced library services, information resources and events such as training, university calendar and library awareness
programs. This could be done through broadcast, whereby one text message is sent to all the clients registered for the academic
year at once. The cost of smartphones/tablets has dropped so that most people can afford to own one. The use of smartphones/
tablets has increased, as is evident in South Africa; therefore, they can deliver online information resources. Smartphones/tablets’
other advantage is that they can interface with other media such as audio, video and the Internet. However, screen size could be a
challenge, but they are an excellent means to learning-on-the-move
e-mail E-mail is a means of formal communication used for sending and receiving messages and information (Bhoi, 2017, p. 447); and
can also be used in an academic library to deliver information resources and interact with library staff members when the remote
clients need information for their studies, research and teaching. Using e-mails to deliver information resources can assist in
complying with the COVID-19 protocol of maintaining social distancing and do not have a distance barrier and time (can be
delivered anytime and anywhere with Internet connections). Furthermore, academic libraries use this e-mail to serve remote
clients with reminders and overdue notices, renewal of loaned information resources, handle library inquiries and send requested
information resources such as e-reserves and e-books and e-journals e-thesis/dissertations and other online information
resources

(continued )
Library staff

153
4IR
support with

ICT tools needed by

Table 2.

remote clients
 LM

154
43,1/2

Table 2.
ICT tools Description

Social media In addition, Koop (2020) pointed out that social media became more popular in LIS during the COVID-19 era. Cox and Felix (2021)
supported that Web 4.0 technologies brought new and challenging library staff members’ roles. Besides, Cox and Felix (2021);
Koop (2020) indicated that social media is classified as a tool and a platform that academic libraries can use to enhance library
services resources. Library staff members use Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, WhatsApp and Instagram to integrate and
communicate with remote clients. These Web 4.0 technologies made it possible for remote clients and library staff members to
connect through the Internet. Academic libraries also use these social media tools to communicate and interact with remote
clients, promote and market their online resources. Facebook is the most popular used social media tool and is used
interchangeably with e-mails
Telephone, voicemail and The South African government enforced some COVID-19 regulations and restrictions to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
videoconferencing Telephone, voicemail and video conferencing are ICT tools that library staff members and remote clients can use to have a
conversation or dialogue regarding the library’s services, queries booking of study carrels for reading and research purposes,
meetings, training, communication and asking clarity seeking questions (Bhoi, 2017, p. 447). They are essential and effective ICT
tools that can be used during the COVID-19 era. For decades, the telephone has been used as a medium of voice communication
between two people. Remote clients call the library staff members for information needs and inquiries. The modern telephone has
a voicemail facility, a new and advanced mail technology whereby remote clients leave a voice message to the library staff at a
later stage. In other circumstances, video conferencing is used to communicate with two or more people from different places.
Respondents can see and hear each other through computer networks that transmit audio and video data. Smartphones,
computers, video cameras and tablets/iPad are used for video conferencing. Library staff members use video conferencing to
communicate with stakeholders and remote clients. Telephone, voicemail and video conferencing are considered effective tools
for communication, thus curbing the spread of Coronavirus
Reference services Library 4.0 is also engaged in reference service, referring to clients’ assistance to search for information resources online and in
the library. This is because it has been discovered by Cox and Felix (2021) that clients avoid using the library catalogue. After all,
they are not knowledgeable about how to use the catalogue. Some remote clients do not realize the significance of the library
catalogue, resulting in an inability to locate needed information resources. The library staff should consider sharing or
transferring their searching skills to remote clients to promote library catalogue use, requesting and downloading information
resources. The emergence of COVID-19 requires that remote clients be self-sufficient
element of probability sampling mostly used to study a large population that are Library staff
geographically isolated (Thomas, 2020). Cluster sampling permitted the researcher to support with
select small groups (clusters) of library staff from the three participating distance education
academic libraries in Gauteng Province of South Africa, whose primary responsibility was to
4IR
provide information resources to remote clients. Based on the list of library staff provided by
the participating academic libraries indicating the number of library staff whose primary
responsibilities are to provide information resources to remote clients; that is the library staff
working at the circulation desk, working with requests of information resources from remote 155
clients and working with Interlibrary Loan (ILL).
The online questionnaire was e-mailed to the targeted library staff working in distance
education environment in Gauteng of South Africa, to examine how the library staff offer
support to remote clients with the 4IR to ensure that information resources are provided
during the COVID-19 era, to determine the Information and Communication Technologies
tools needed by remote clients to be on par with the 4IR and to discover whether the library
staff working in distance learning environment are open to job innovation to provide library
support to remote clients. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire was determined by
conducting a pilot study. Eighty-two online questionnaires were distributed among the
library staff and forty-five were received for data analysis representing a 55% response rate.
All responses were downloaded and exported from Microsoft Form to Microsoft Excel, then
to SPSS for analysis. The response rate was greater than 50%; hence the data gathered was
considered adequate for the researcher to draw sound conclusions. Guidelines for maximizing
response rate (Cleave, 2020) suggested that a response rate of 40% in email surveys is
considered average and a response rate of 50% is considered good.

6. Results
Data collected on research question four was analyzed with frequency counts, percentage,
mean and standard deviation statistics.

6.1 Library staff openness to job innovation

A Likert scale was used to evaluate library staffs’ openness to job innovation. On a scale of
1–3, 1 being “Disagree” and 3 being “Agree,” respondents were asked to rate their openness to
innovation. Forty-five responses were gathered in this question and presented in Table 3. In
overall, the respondents “agreed” that they are open to job innovation (mean 5 2.21). This
might be based on the fact that the library staff are always willing to learn and adapt to new
ideas or change at work (mean 5 2.98) and are open to new changes (mean 5 2.96). However,
there were concerns in some certain areas, such as expressing caution to new ways of
working (mean 5 2.96), overwhelming nature of change (mean 5 2.09). This finding suggests
that these noticeable areas (expressing caution to new ways of working and overwhelming
nature of change) must be given attention by the management of distance education
academic libraries in Gauteng province, South Africa, to foster the attitude and spirit of
innovation among the library staff.

6.2 Reasons for not effectively providing information resources to remote clients
Respondents were asked to identify reasons for not effectively providing information resources
to remote clients in Table 4. The result revealed that COVID-19 restrictions/regulations
(mean 5 2.29) constitute a major reason for not effectively providing information resources to
remote clients, on a scale of 1–3. This can further be proved because 55.6% of the respondents
agreed that COVID-19 restrictions/regulations were the main reason for not providing
information resources to remote clients effectively. This was closely followed by lack of
LM support, motivation and guidance influenced by institutional culture (mean 5 2.33), inadequate
43,1/2 access to the Internet (mean 5 2.31), lack of adequate time to focus on meeting the information
needs of remote clients due to multi-tasking of job responsibilities (mean 5 2.11), inadequate
library funding (mean 5 2.07) and inadequate skills and knowledge (mean 5 2.02) (see Table 5).

Which of the following statement(s) would you use to describe yourself as a library staff?
156 Disagree Not relevant Agree
Statement (1) (2) (3) Mean

I am always willing to learn and adapt to new ideas or 1 (2.2) 44 (97.8) 2.98
change at work
I am open to new changes 2 (4.4) 43 (95.6) 2.96
I am cautious when new ways of working are introduced 6 (13.3) 9 (20.0) 30 (66.7) 2.53
I feel overwhelmed by changes in the institution of higher 18 (40.0) 5 (11.1) 22 (48.9) 2.09
learning that affect the academic library
I only adapt to new changes because I am obliged to do so by 33 (73.3) 7 (15.6) 5 (11.1) 1.38
the line manager
I wait to see if the new changes gains popularity amongst 34 (75.6) 7 (15.6) 4 (8.9) 1.33
my colleagues before I can adapt
Table 3. Note(s): Weighted mean 5 2.21; Remark 5 Agree
Table 5.20: openness to Decision Rule: If mean is 1.0–1.49 5 Disagree; 1.50–1.99 5 Not Relevant; 2.0–3.0 5 Agree
job innovations Cut-off Mean 5 2.0

I am unable to effectively assist and provide information resources to remote clients because of the following
reasons
Disagree Neutral Agree
Reasons (1) (2) (3) Mean

COVID-19 restrictions/regulations 12 (26.7) 8 (17.8) 25 (55.6) 2.29

Lack of support, motivation and guidance influenced by 11 (24.4) 8 (17.8) 26 (57.8) 2.33
institutional culture
Inadequate access to the Internet 13 (28.9) 5 (11.1) 27 (60.0) 2.31
Not having enough time to focus on meeting the information 14 (31.1) 12 (26.7) 19 (42.2) 2.11
needs of remote clients because of multi-tasking with different
responsibilities
Inadequate library funding that hinders the library to support 13 (28.9) 16 (35.6) 16 (35.6) 2.07
the mission and objectives of the university
Table 4.
Reasons for not Lack of skills and knowledge due to inadequate training 16 (35.6) 12 (26.7) 17 (37.8) 2.02
effectively providing Note(s): Weighted mean 5 2.19; Remark 5 Agree
information resources Decision Rule: If mean is 1.0–1.49 5 Disagree; 1.50–1.99 5 Not Relevant; 2.0–3.0 5 Agree
to remote clients Cut-off Mean 5 2.0

RQ: How could the library staff Which of the following In overall, library staff working in
support the remote clients with statement(s) would you use to distance education academic
the provision of information describe yourself as a library libraries “agreed” that they are
resources during the 4IR and the staff? open to job innovation
COVID-19 era (mean 5 2.21)
I am unable to effectively assist COVID-19 restrictions/regulations
and provide information (mean 5 2.29) constitute a major
resources to remote clients reason for not effectively providing
Table 5. because of the following reasons information resources to remote
Summary of findings clients on a scale of 1–3
 This result suggests that COVID-19 restrictions/regulations, lack of support, motivation Library staff
and guidance influenced by institutional culture, inadequate access to the Internet, lack of support with
adequate time to focus on meeting the information needs of remote clients due to multi-
tasking of job responsibilities, inadequate library funding and inadequate skills and
4IR
knowledge were reasons contributing to the ineffective provision of information resources to
remote clients in distance education academic libraries. It is suggested that the management
of distance education academic libraries in Gauteng province, South Africa, should give
serious consideration to resolving the aforementioned concerns raised on the provision of 157
information resources.

7. Discussion of results
The COVID-19 crisis has enabled academic library staff to perform duties not in the scope of
librarianship to support remote clients. This is supported by the results that revealed that the
majority of library staff adapt to new technological changes because they are obliged to do so
by their Line Managers. The second highest-rated variable was that before using or adopting
new technologies, library staff wait to see if the new technology gains momentum amongst
colleagues before using it. These findings suggest that academic libraries are observing and
contributing to the transformation to distance education, an education system that existed
pre-COVID-19. Distance education is a type of education whereby lecturers and students a
physically separated, and the communication is through information technology channels
(Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, 2020). In response to the COVID-19
protocols, academics (lecturers), library staff and students globally were obliged to embrace
the evolution of e-learning because access to physical libraries and on-campus facilities was
halted (Tsekea and Chigwada, 2021). This initiative might seem progressive but has brought
revolution of the manner in which jobs are performed, and how information is accessed to
supplement teaching, learning and research. As a result, academic libraries operating in
distance education environment has resulted to Higher Education Institutions and their
academic libraries to embrace artificial intelligence, creativity, lifelong learning and
continuous professional development (Ocholla and Ocholla, 2020). Therefore, library staff
and remote clients in academic libraries operating in higher education environment requires
new competencies and skills such as critical thinking, innovation/creativity, complex
problem solving, emotional intelligence, decision making, judgment, people management and
service orientation (Butler-Adam, 2018). In addition, the emergence and embracing the 4IR
could lead to job losses (Ocholla and Ocholla, 2020) because library staff and the remote
clients depend on information technologies and most of the information resources are
digitized, thus leading self-sufficiency to accessing online information resources. As
supported by the 4IR, E-learning became relevant. Higher learning institutions and academic
libraries adopted it to offer online information resources and services to enable remote clients
to access information resources remotely. Therefore, academic libraries are devoted to the
learning process as they ensure the providing information resources is possible.

8. Conclusion
The study focused on the selected academic libraries in Gauteng, South Africa whereby three
out of four targeted academic libraries granted permission to conduct research using the
library staff and Line Managers whose primary responsibilities were to provide information
resources to remote clients. However, in some academic libraries that granted permission, the
response rate was meager. The researcher sent out reminders three times every two weeks,
then kept the questionnaire open for two months, hoping for more responses. The researcher
could not send the fourth reminder as it might seem that participation is forced, which would
LM have been consider unethical because participation to this study was voluntary. The COVID-
43,1/2 19 also made the collection of data more challenging. The respondents were reluctant to
participate irrespective of the assurance of confidentiality. However, the researcher assumed
these challenges were because most library staff and Line Managers worked from home,
rosters, shifts and rotations, therefore assumed that if the library staff had to participate, they
might be obliged to use their gadgets and data as the questionnaire was online (sent via
e-mail) and that working from home might not be conducive.
158 The study was limited to determining the library staff support with the 4IR’s application
to provide information resources to remote clients during the COVID-19, and targeted collect
data from the four major universities based in Gauteng Province of South Africa. Positivism
research paradigm was used to guide this study while employing a quantitative research
approach. An online questionnaire designed from Microsoft Form was e-mailed to 82 library
staff, and 45 responses were received.
The Implications for research, practice and/or society have effect of the 4IR has both positive
and negative impacts on both the library staff and the remote clients. It is imperative to
determine the effectiveness of the 4IR in academic libraries during the COVID-19 era and
consider the remote clients affected by the digital divide. Regarding the library staff’s support,
the remote clients provided information resources during the 4IR and COVID-19 era; library
staff were willing to learn and adapt to new ideas or changes at the workplace to benefit the
remote clients. However, other academic libraries wait to see if the new changes gain popularity
before adapting. However, library staff felt like they lacked skills and knowledge due to
inadequate training to effectively support remote clients’ technological innovations.
The COVID-19 restrictions/regulations hinder library staff not to effectively providing
information resources to remote clients. However, the study revealed that the library staff is
always willing to adapt to new workplace changes to support remote clients with their
information needs. By doing so, they will be filling the void caused by the COVID-19
pandemic that causes library staff to work from home, working in rosters, rotations and
shifts. It is recommended that remote clients be made aware of the changes by posting new
library services on social media, library websites and students’ designated e-mails.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 restrictions/regulations, lack of support, motivation and
guidance influenced by institutional culture, inadequate access to the Internet, lack of adequate
time to focus on meeting the information needs of remote clients due to multi-tasking of job
responsibilities, inadequate library funding and inadequate skills and knowledge were reasons
contributing to the ineffective provision of information resources to remote clients in distance
education academic libraries. It is recommended that the Library Management of distance
education academic libraries in Gauteng province, South Africa, devise means to resolve the
aforementioned concerns raised on providing information resources.
The library staff support during the COVID-19 era when the remote clients are
overwhelmed with the new methods of accessing online information resources and other
library services. This reason further research to ascertain the level of support provided to
remote clients to ensure that their information needs are met. Remote clients do not have
access to adequate gadgets such as personal computers and laptops, tablets, smartphones,
iPods, Internet data and an Internet connection to access and download information
resources. Therefore, the digital divide disadvantaging remote clients to benefit from online
library services should be investigated.

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Corresponding author
Tinyiko Vivian Dube can be contacted at: dubetv@[Link]

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