Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Health Information Management 1735-7853 17 3 2020 08 22 Challenges and Actions of Public Libraries for Reopening and Providing Services Under COVID-19 Crisis: An Analysis of International Guidelines and Actions Challenges and Actions of Public Libraries for Reopening and Providing Services Under COVID-19 Crisis: An Analysis of International Guidelines and Actions 140 146 11746 10.22122/him.v17i3.4134 FA Abolfazl Taheri PhD Student, Medical Library and Information Science, Health Information Technology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran 0000-0003-3387-3425 Hasan Ashrafi-Rizi Professor, Medical Library and Information Science, Health Information Technology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran 0000-0001-6052-2087 Marziyeh Saeedizadeh MSc, Knoeledge and Information Science, Public Libraries Foundation, Iran 0000-0002-6521-0741 Journal Article 2020 06 10 Introduction: In order to identify the protocol of public libraries’ activities during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, it seems necessary to take into account the solutions and actions that have already been applied internationally. This study endeavors to explore challenges and actions of public libraries during COVID-19 crisis for reopening and providing services by analyzing international guidelines and actions.Methods: This study was a narrative review with qualitative content analysis research method. After surfing the web pages by Google search engine and selecting 39 related pages of search results, issues related to the effect of COVID-19 on public library services were analyzed by inductive content analysis. Then, the extracted codes were categorized. Four-dimension criteria (credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability) were implemented to enhance the robustness of the study.Results: 340 codes were identified which were categorized into three broad categories as preventive and healthy actions in libraries, development of information services under conditions of COVID-19, and restrictions and challenges in providing library services.Conclusion: Iranian public libraries managers should consider various aspects for addressing or developing services and it seems necessary to pay attention to the issues identified in this study as a primary principle. Therefore, these results can be used in the development of the COVID-19 crisis management program for Iranian public libraries. Introduction: In order to identify the protocol of public libraries’ activities during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, it seems necessary to take into account the solutions and actions that have already been applied internationally. This study endeavors to explore challenges and actions of public libraries during COVID-19 crisis for reopening and providing services by analyzing international guidelines and actions.Methods: This study was a narrative review with qualitative content analysis research method. After surfing the web pages by Google search engine and selecting 39 related pages of search results, issues related to the effect of COVID-19 on public library services were analyzed by inductive content analysis. Then, the extracted codes were categorized. Four-dimension criteria (credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability) were implemented to enhance the robustness of the study.Results: 340 codes were identified which were categorized into three broad categories as preventive and healthy actions in libraries, development of information services under conditions of COVID-19, and restrictions and challenges in providing library services.Conclusion: Iranian public libraries managers should consider various aspects for addressing or developing services and it seems necessary to pay attention to the issues identified in this study as a primary principle. Therefore, these results can be used in the development of the COVID-19 crisis management program for Iranian public libraries. https://him.mui.ac.ir/article_11746_604b37ea63ea51fa5fb3d8a89ec056e6.pdf