The management of public libraries during COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic literature review through PRISMA method

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the literature regarding the impact of global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) pandemic on PLs and their management responses during COVID-19 pandemic as well as for the post-pandemic era. Design/methodology/approach: The systematic literature review is based on preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) method and includes publications in the English language published at online scholarly resources during the period of COVID-19 outbreak, i.e. from January 2020 to June 2021. Findings: The number of the eligible and relevant studies for the COVID-19 impact on PLs was 79, which were included in the literature review profiling and in the qualitative analysis. Originality/value: The systematic review provides a useful overview of existing PL management paradigms that could be contemplated at an organizational, national or international level while developing a strategy for public libraries in the post-pandemic era. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.