Implementation of information literacy programmes in public libraries
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-09-2015-0063 |
| Date | 04 April 2016 |
| Pages | 17-22 |
| Published date | 04 April 2016 |
| Author | George Kingori,Dorothy Njiraine,Stephen Maina |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Library & information services |
Implementation of information literacy
programmes in public libraries
George Kingori, Dorothy Njiraine and Stephen Maina
Introduction
The 21st century has brought
enormous change in information
provision throughout the world as a
result of new information and
technological development. Rader
(2012, pp. 43-49) observe that these
changes affect every segment of the
society and all levels of education.
New learning centres are evolving
based on the concepts of
resource-based teaching and lifelong
learning. Students and other
categories of users need high levels of
literacy.
The term information literacy was
coined by Paul Zurkowski in a 1974
report on future needs for various
competences in work places, in
business and industry in the USA
(USA) (Bawden, 2011, p. 76).
Information literacy has also been
described as a way of learning (Bruce,
2008, p. 92). This interpretation relates
information literacy to the concept of
lifelong learning (Bruce, 2008, p. 43).
Information literacy is becoming an
increasingly essential part of public
library user education. Despite the
many definitions on information
literacy, the term remains a foreign
concept to many non-librarians. As
Virkus (2009, p. 98) points out,
“information literacy has spread mainly
among librarians and information
professionals and neither is explicitly or
extensively recognized in other
circles”. The term information literacy
was coined largely to account for the
burgeoning of electronic information.
Electronic information has become
ubiquitous, with cellular and wireless
networks routinely available virtually
wherever the user happens to be.
Many young students entering higher
education are completely at home
with all the latest electronic gadgetry.
They have found that “digital
technologies enable ultra-rapid access
to the richest sources, wherever they
are located in the world’s collection”
(Diehm, 2012, p. 75). Consequently,
students have become increasingly
reliant on electronic information.
The Kenya National Library
Service (KNLS) is a corporate body
of the Kenyan government and was
established by an act of parliament in
1965. The aim of establishing KNLS
was to provide library and
information services to the Kenyan
public. It was intended to take charge
of the development of public library
services in Kenya. KNLS is
responsible for preserving the
national heritage of the country,
publishing the Kenya National
Bibliography (KNB) and the Kenya
Periodicals Directory (KPD),
providing national reference services
amongst other functions. The KNLS
mandate is to promote, establish,
equip, manage, maintain and develop
public libraries in Kenya. It is the
Board’s conviction that information
materials are outstandingly effective
in transmitting knowledge and
communicating ideas and that reading
encourages the fullest development of
thought and the participation of the
citizen in the society. Therefore, the
KNLS board provides a variety of
services on the basis of equality of
access for all, regardless of age, race,
sex, religion, nationality, language or
social status. KNLS has a dual
responsibility of a public library as
well as performing the duties of the
national library in Kenya. As a public
library, KNLS provides adult lending
services, children library service,
mobile library service, camel and
donkey library mobile services,
school book boxes service, reference
service, user education service,
service to institutions, informal
training for librarians, book
distribution/donations, email and
Internet services and reprographic
services.
In public libraries, orientation is
offered mainly to new users, and
many of them are unable to use the
information resources effectively, as
they do not have adequate
information skills. Although
orientation is given to new users of
many public libraries, the main
challenges faced by KNLS branch
libraries today is the delivery of
relevant information literacy skills,
which will enable users to retrieve
and access both print and electronic
information (Weiler, 2009, p. 132).
Public libraries have historically
offered instructional courses in a
variety of ways, embedding them in a
range of strategic courses, such as
reference, instructional media and
user needs. Other challenges in the
public library sector are that
customers’ requirements are very
diverse, and the content may only be
required by small numbers of people,
which affects the economy of scale
(Probert, 2009, p. 54). Even previous
learning experience and ability are
not homogenous, and attitudes to
learning are very diverse. For a
significant number of people, learning
may also be seen as a negative thing
to be avoided (Weiler, 2009, p. 132).
The new technological changes have
also contributed to challenges for
many users, as they lack information
literacy skills that can enable them to
access both print and electronic
information resources. To fill the
gaps, it was necessary for the
researchers to explore the current
status regarding the implementation
of information literacy programmes in
public libraries and suggest possible
solutions.
LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 2 2016, pp. 17-22, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/LHTN-09-2015-0063 17
To continue reading
Request your trial