Abstract:
The higher and tertiary education system was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic leading
to tremendous changes in service delivery in academic libraries. All the higher education
stakeholders were affected including lecturers, students, researchers, and librarians, and they were
forced to adjust accordingly in order to remain relevant. A survey was done using a multiple case
study design where online questionnaires were distributed and participant observation were used
to collect data from three academic libraries in Zimbabwe. It was discovered that academic
libraries changed the way they deliver their services to meet the new demands when teaching and
learning was shifted to online as a way of curbing the spreading of the virus. The author
recommends that academic librarians should be continuously trained to deal with the skills gap
created by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is need to provide appropriate information and
communication technology infrastructure and the supporting policies and guidelines for academic
libraries to continue supporting the research, teaching and learning activities in the COVID-19
environment.
