Changes and the Challenges of Library Reference Services After the Covid-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities implemented numerous changes and launched new measures to resume teaching and learning activities, which significantly challenged library reference services. Although institutions are gradually recovering from the disruptions caused by the pandemic, students' learning behaviors have changed considerably. Reference service departments in academic libraries have undergone transformations and are actively seeking new solutions to revive or evolve services to help students who were deeply affected by the lockdown and the new norms that followed. In this research, surveys and interviews were conducted at New England Liberal Arts College Libraries to understand the changes and challenges faced by library reference services. Despite the significant impact, library reference services are reconnecting with students through various outlets and strategically embracing AI technology to better support teaching and learning in the post-COVID era.