COVID 19 and Libraries in Italy.

COVID 19 emergency has had a great impact on libraries and led to their closure. An investigation was carried out analyzing literature and online documentation together with administering a questionnaire to about 70 librarians. Italian libraries continued to offer online services during closure by giving access to digital libraries and reference. A renewed online communication, using different tools from the phone to video conference and social media, has been experimented with community engagement. Some critical issues related to libraries organization and policies were most evident during COVID. In conclusion, the COVID emergency pushes for a transformation of libraries and a new vision of service, which focuses on new relationships with communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]