A virtual reference service system for Metropolitan International University library

Abstract

Learning activities have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic globally, leading to the closure of public places including academic libraries. Virtual connections and interactions have increasingly substituted person-to-person engagements and further limit the total interruptions in many sectors. On this note, traditional library services or reference services, are not optimally satisfying user’s needs. Unfortunately, the absence of a well-established virtual reference services system at Metropolitan International University library has contributed to untimeliness in finding information materials by the library users (students and staff), associated with the challenges of fatigue and time consuming in terms of accessing the information. The virtual reference service system current system addresses the challenges by enabling both students and lecturers to access the reference services anytime from anywhere. The objectives of the study were fulfilled using a number of tools and techniques, including questionnaires, interview guides for data collection, data flow diagrams and entity relationship diagrams for system design. Then Hypert-text mark-up language (HTML), PHP, Cascading Style Sheet (CSS), JavaScript, jQuery, MySQL, and Bootstrap were used for system development. The system was tested using techniques such as unit testing system integration testing. In conclusion, the system was developed successfully and should be adopted and deployed for effective communication amongst the stakeholders, especially pregnant women and health workers.