The Role of Remote Work and Telework in Libraries Moving Forward

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic forced many employers, including libraries, to rapidly shift to full-time remote work and teleworking arrangements without a significant amount of planning. While the abrupt shift to remote work and teleworking was not ideal, many organizations were successful in keeping some or all of their core operations and services available. Many believe that there are significant benefits to remote work and telework that more than offset the drawbacks. As the world slowly returns to a state of affairs that more closely resembles pre-COVID-19 pandemic times, many people involved in all types of organizations are asking what the future will be for remote work and telework. Some are predicting that significant amounts of remote work and telework are here to say, while others think it will slowly return to the way it was over the course of time. It is too early to know what will happen in libraries and more research is needed to understand the impact of remote work and liberal telework policies on libraries.