The status of the implementation of institutional repositories in selected newly established universities in Kenya

Abstract

Rationale of Study – Academic institutions worldwide have embraced institutional repositories as a means to showcase their research globally. In Kenya, the majority of academic institutions with effective repositories are established universities. Little is known of institutional repositories of newly  established universities in Kenya. This study evaluated the status of the implementation of institutional repositories of universities established between 2016 and 2017 in Kenya.

Methodology – The researchers used a descriptive research design in this study. Data was collected from professional library staff in three newly  established universities using questionnaires. The actual respondents were selected through information-oriented purposive sampling. The sample size  was twenty librarians from Kirinyaga University, Machakos University, and University of Embu.

Findings – All the university libraries investigated had functional institutional repositories. The libraries had developed submission and metadata policies.  The staff charged with implementing institutional repositories had relevant skills, understood the scholarly communication cycle, and were  responsible for recruitment of institutional repository content. The challenges faced in implementing institutional repositories included low levels of awareness of the existence of IR by the intended users, reluctant of the researchers in submitting their research with the IR, lack of resources, inadequate  staff, and submission policy.

Implications – The findings of this study buttresses the place of information repositories as a platform to share research literature and open access to  scholarly materials globally even for newly established universities in developing countries.

Originality – Unlike the majority of research on institutional repositories in Kenya which focused on established universities, this study tells the story of  newly established universities in Kenya.