Meeting Users’ Information Needs Online during the Russian-Ukrainian War

Abstract

abstract: This article explores users’ level of satisfaction with the information in the online space of a university library during the pandemic and the russian-Ukrainian war. The authors analyzed the services and activities that the library provided online and examined whether they satisfied users’ information needs. Using a questionnaire, the study surveyed students and faculty members of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts in 2023. The study revealed that users rely on online library services for many different information needs. The authors do not rule out that their results were influenced by current conditions in Ukraine, such as intensive military operations lasting more than a year, forced relocation of students and teachers to less dangerous regions, concern for the safety of educational and informational activities during constant rocket attacks, power outages, and unstable Internet connection. This article will be useful to those interested in meeting library users’ information needs during a pandemic, war, or other instability. Respondents’ suggestions for service improvement, conclusions, and recommendations will help university libraries to organize their activities more effectively to maximize users’ satisfaction in the online space.