Status of Library Spaces and Facilities in University Libraries in Kenya

Abstract

In the global sphere, university library users’ needs continue to change thus university libraries are repositioning themselves to address the changing users’ needs. An important aspect of the change revolves around the library space and many university libraries are making efforts to change their spaces to meet the need driven by information technology, improved higher education systems and shifting of users’ expectations. This paper discusses the status of library spaces in Kenyan university libraries and is based on research conducted using pragmatic research paradigm and a convergent mixed methods design and multiple case studies strategy. The study population was university library users in Kenya consisting of six (6) participating universities (three public and three private) purposefully selected based on their age (time they have been in existence). Students and academic staff participated in a survey; librarians participated in focus groups while university librarians had interviews. This study collected data through online questionnaires, online focus group discussions and telephone call interviews. The qualitative data was thematically analysed while the quantitative data adopted a statistical approach that encompasses descriptive statistics. The results show some common available library spaces among the university libraries, the most preferred available library spaces and most frequently used library spaces by the users on daily basis. The study recommends continuous assessment of library spaces in the universities in order to understand library users’ needs and make informed decisions.