Library publications as tools for disseminating technical information in Kenya

Abstract

The study looked at library publications produced by special and academic libraries in Nairobi. The libraries were categorized as academic, special government and special private. It aimed at finding out to what extent technical information was disseminated through library publications. The focus on technical information was its importance in fostering development. Having mainly been produced through research, there is need to find ways of making it available for the development of new products and processes and reduces any chance of unnecessary duplication of work.

To find out if library publications were a vehicle for the transfer of technical information, the range coverage, physical presentation, distribution and storage of the publication were sought. Tow methods of data collection were used; librarian’s questionnaire and a bibliometric analysis of the publications. Items of technical information that the study limited itself to were: conference papers and proceedings, government publications, standards, technical and research report son theses. These were counted to establish the amount of technical information conveyed.

The study revealed that libraries have produced publications most of which were infrequent and hence unreliable. The coverage of technical information was very limited with of fourteen percent of the total number of items each category of library was found to on one form of technical literature, that is, academic libraries covered theses: special/Government covered most of the government publications while special/private covered conference proceedings. Special/private library publication s had more current literature than the other categories but all publications covered mainly Kenyan literature amounting to seventy two percent of the technical literature found. Publications of the special/private libraries provided better access to technical information.

In light of the findings, the study recommended that all libraries should aim at producing regular and attractive publication that are based on explicit objectives that indicate the function, coverage and users of the publications. In order to cover technical information libraries are required to take active steps to acquire it especially through informal and formal contacts with the producers. For dissemination to widely effected, library users should be provided with publications from various libraries.