Library Space and Resource Usage Time: Reflections from Digital Footprints During Pre and Post-COVID-19

This paper aims to investigate library user behaviors by comparing them pre and post-COVID-19. Two aspects of users’ behaviors were examined, including using physical learning spaces, and online resource utilization. This exploration used secondary data automatically recorded by ALIST OPAC systems (Prince of Songkla University Pattani Campus, Pattani, Thailand) during 2018 and 2022. Descriptive statistics were used to examine physical space usage. The machine learning algorithms name process mining technique was used to investigate the changes in online behaviors, by formulating the sequence of activities based on the digital footprints recorded when users interacted with the systems. This technique exemplified the sequence and timing of activities. The study results revealed an increased use of limited co-learning spaces by library users after COVID-19. The activity of borrowing and returning library resources showed that fewer reminder e-mails on the due date were sent. The process of mining exemplified the sequence and timing of activities. It indicated that after COVID-19, library users hold borrowed items for a shorter time than before the pandemic. These findings suggest that the digital footprints unveiled the changes in library users’ behaviors. That is, the library users return borrowed items faster than in pre-COVID-19 circumstances. A decrease in reminder e-mails was clearly visible to support such a finding. Therefore, it is suggested that library managements should consider a faster operation and well-resourced management to adapt to the changes. Managing resources needs to become faster as the library users showed a potential for faster return of borrowed resources.