ABSTRACT

This paper explores how public libraries in the United Kingdom were impacted by the lockdowns imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Freedom of Information requests were made to all UK public library services. The data received indicated that almost 65% of UK library services saw a reduction in physical loans of between 70% and 90% of pre-pandemic borrowing levels. The cumulative data also revealed that almost 120 million books that were issued in pre-pandemic years were not issued in the 2020/21 lockdown period. Meanwhile, 47% of library services saw their e-loan provision rise between 100% and 200% on pre-pandemic levels, although these numbers rose from a low base and were comparatively small when measured against physical loan losses. The data also highlighted that active membership of the public library services (members who had borrowed an item in the previous year) dropped to 40% of pre-pandemic levels across the UK. The evidence highlights that while e-loan provision rose significantly while physical library services were largely unavailable, this rise was from a very low base, and this rise in digital usage did not come close to mitigating the drop in physical borrowing that occurred across the UK. The findings of the paper suggest that even when the public had no choice but to move to digital, they did so in limited numbers when compared to usage of physical library buildings and collections.

摘要

本文探讨了英国的公共图书馆如何受到因 COVID-19 大流行而实施的封锁的影响。向所有英国公共图书馆服务提出了信息自由请求。收到的数据表明，近 65% 的英国图书馆服务实体借阅减少了大流行前借阅水平的 70% 至 90%。累积数据还显示，在 2020/21 锁定期没有发行大流行前年份发行的近 1.2 亿本图书。与此同时，47% 的图书馆服务的电子贷款准备金比大流行前的水平增加了 100% 到 200%，尽管这些数字是从一个较低的基数上升的，并且与实物贷款损失相比相对较小。数据还强调，英国​​公共图书馆服务的活跃会员（前一年借过某件物品的会员）下降到大流行前水平的 40%。证据表明，虽然电子贷款供应显着增加，而实体图书馆服务基本上不可用，但这种增长的基数非常低，而且数字使用量的增加并没有缓解英国各地实体借贷的下降. 该论文的研究结果表明，即使公众别无选择，只能转向数字化，与实体图书馆建筑和馆藏的使用相比，他们这样做的人数也有限。证据表明，虽然电子贷款供应显着增加，而实体图书馆服务基本上不可用，但这种增长的基数非常低，而且数字使用量的增加并没有缓解英国各地实体借贷的下降. 该论文的研究结果表明，即使公众别无选择，只能转向数字化，与实体图书馆建筑和馆藏的使用相比，他们这样做的人数也有限。证据表明，虽然电子贷款供应显着增加，而实体图书馆服务基本上不可用，但这种增长的基数非常低，而且数字使用量的增加并没有缓解英国各地实体借贷的下降. 该论文的研究结果表明，即使公众别无选择，只能转向数字化，与实体图书馆建筑和馆藏的使用相比，他们这样做的人数也有限。