GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT

The paper investigated the role of public libraries in curbing the COVID-19 Pandemic in schools. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new reality and upended the norm that we have become used to. Libraries, from time immemorial, have played crucial roles in making necessary information available about society and pandemics. The study explored the roles of public libraries and information dissemination by public libraries during the pandemic and the challenges within society. The paper proposed some key roles that public libraries, librarians, and information specialists can play to curb the pandemic, including: public awareness of preventive measures and management of the disease, where possible; supporting frontline researchers, clinicians, and faculty with the latest research and evidence available. The general public has been cautioned to take responsive care with the various strategies and measures, which include hand washing, wearing face masks, physical distancing, and avoiding mass gatherings and assemblies. One of the recommendations in this paper was that public library librarians should be proactive in updating schools and society with health information to enable them to cope with the fast development of ICT.

KEYWORDS: COVID-19 Pandemic, Public Library Guidance and Schools