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ROLE OF ICTS IN PROMOTION OF GOOD GOVERNANCE:

CASE FOR LIBRARIES IN KENYA

by

Beatrice Adera Amollo

Paper presented in Nairobi, Kenya at KLA Annual Conference in 2007

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CONTENTS

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1

Governance in Kenya ......................................................................................................................... 2

ICT development in Kenya ................................................................................................................. 3

Libraries and good governance .............................................................................................................. 4

Why libraries for promotion of good governance? .............................................................................. 5

Libraries, ICT and good governance ...................................................................................................... 6

ICT enabled library services for governance ...................................................................................... 8

Challenges ............................................................................................................................................ 10

Recommendations ................................................................................................................................ 12

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 14

References ............................................................................................................................................ 15

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SUMMARY This paper seeks to establish the connection between ICT and good governance for libraries in

Kenya by reviewing literature about ICT based libraries worldwide, and taking note of successes

made in the area of governance. It explores the extent and role played by libraries in Kenya,

regardless of type and size in the promotion of good governance using ICT. Ways in which ICT can

be implemented and used in libraries for this purpose are addressed.

INTRODUCTION Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been defined as a diverse set of technological

tools and resources used to communicate, create, disseminate, store and manage information. The

convergence of computers, telephony, and communications has transformed the way people live and

work. It is essential in the development of any society and has become the driving force in the growth

of countries worldwide. ICT has facilitated information availability and accessibility thus improving

public administration, democratization and citizen empowerment. Interaction between government

and citizens is improved with an "open" online government. Implementing ICT in governance

processes also revitalizes civic institutions, promotes equity and empowers the minorities. This is

good governance.

Many institutions have adapted ICT for decision making process that is transparent, all-inclusive and

beneficial to all. The power of ICTs to broadcast within short times and wider distances guarantees

that more people are involved or reached. The unreached or under serviced are able to access

information using these technologies and unlike the traditional means and modalities, a deeper

geographic penetration is accomplished. Libraries have taken advantage of these capabilities to

provide information that is current and commensurate with user needs.

Some examples of use of ICT for good governance in other countries include an ICT based trial

service that is run by Transparency International called the "The Daily Corruption News" which

reports on corruption from around the world. In the UK, a website FaxYourMP.com enables people to

send a Fax to their local Member of Parliaments detailing them of their grievances through the use of

Internet. This is an example of opening up a direct communication channel between people and their

leaders. And in the Dominican Republic, a website has been posted to publish the entry and exit

assets of public officials. In addition it publishes officials' bank account numbers, national

identification numbers, and home addresses on its site to help citizens detect possible fraudulent acts

committed while in office.

Processes and operations have changed since the computer was first introduced in a library.

Developed countries are engaging automated libraries in transmitting information to their citizen for

the sake of good governance. ICT adopted in libraries now range from integrated library systems

(ILS) and RFID security systems to virtual libraries. These developments have elevated the status

and role of libraries in society – thanks to these technologies.

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Governance in Kenya

Governance, according to UNDP, is the process through which institutions, businesses and citizen

groups articulate their interests, exercise their rights and obligations and mediate their differences. It

is the exercise of political, economic and administrative authority in the management of the affairs of

a country at all levels.

Governance is both political and economic. The political aspect deals with how power is exercised,

how open the political process is, how decisions are made, and how much of a voice citizens are

given in decision-making and in the management of public affairs. The economic aspect deals mainly

with how societal resources are managed (public sector management) and the role of governments in

the process of socioeconomic development. It provides the context in which corporate governance is

practiced by setting the laws under which corporations are established and the regulatory framework

for the conduct of corporate affairs. Sound corporate governance is important because it results in a

healthy and competitive corporate sector, which is fundamental for sustained and broad-based

economic growth. Good governance can be seen as an exercise of economic, political, and

administrative authority to better manage affairs of a country at all levels.

Attempts to use ICT for governance in Kenya can be traced as far back as 1999 when the Information

Technology Standards Association (ITSA) of Kenya launched an Electronic Graft Management pilot

project that was to increase public awareness and encourage public participation in fighting corrupt

practices. According to (Backus, 2001), the project intended to use the Internet and e-mail as the

channel for communication by the public for reporting.

Kenya is currently experiencing a major ground swell of political change with more people taking

resolute steps to demand participatory and democratic systems of governance. The term e-

government has emerged from the attempt to combine ICT with the increasing demand for good

governance in the political and economical arena. All levels of government i.e. central, national,

regional, provincial, departmental, local government institutions and government branches, namely

administration, civil service, parliament and judiciary are now using ICT to publish information and

documents directly, rather than, as earlier, rely on the mass media as an intermediary.

E-government relates to the relationship between citizens and those in power. ICT is exploited in this

relationship to help transform the accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of public services. The

government has introduced web-based Internet applications and other information technologies,

combined with processes that implement these technologies, to enhance the access to and delivery

of Government information and services to the public, other agencies, and other Government entities.

Government publications contain information on legal matters, education, agriculture, economics,

health and environment which have an immediate impact on the lives of Kenyan citizens.

Kenya’s e-government initiative was launched in the year 2004 with the overall goal making the

Government more result oriented, efficient and citizen centered. The e-Government strategy was to

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focus on redefining the relationship between Government and citizens with the objective of

empowering them through increased and better access to government services.

The government has worked hard to cultivate an image of transparency and inclusiveness for good

governance. New web enabled databases and information, electronic filing systems, documents

exchange systems, electronic procurement, electronic declaration and application systems, and other

tools have now been introduced in various government departments towards the e-government

initiative.

For instance, various government ministries like the Ministry of Information, Tourism, Finance and

State House, to name a few have put up web sites that contain information about the economy,

Kenyan culture, government, the cabinet, rules of business, tenders, drafts bills and much more. The

popular Constituency Development Fund (CDF), established in Kenya to control imbalances in

regional development and targeting constituency-level to help combat poverty has a web site that

allows members of public to track projects in their areas and report any anomalies if noted.

The government and stakeholders in the corporate world have endorsed these technologies as

channels for productivity and good governance.

ICT development in Kenya The growth of the ICT sector in Kenya has been significantly influenced by the global trends. Kenya

like other countries of the world is making efforts to modernize its telematics infrastructure to take

advantage of emerging information technologies such as the Internet, virtual libraries and distance

education, just to mention a few. There have been notable increases in the teledensity, number of

computers and services; Internet Service Providers (ISPs), number of Internet users and

broadcasting stations.

A number of policies have been drafted to support implementation of ICT in all sectors of the economy.

For example, policies geared towards support of ICTs in schools to support learning and teaching and

freedom of information have been presented and should be blueprints in actualizing adoption of ICT as

a fundamental tool in all development endeavors in the country.

The Government aims to work with public and private utility providers (e.g. power, water, railway, etc)

to develop the national information infrastructure. The Ministry of information is actively engaging all

the stakeholders in the debate for a comprehensive ICT policy and it is envisaged that Kenya will

have a final draft of the policy by the end of this year.

According to the draft ICT policy, measures will be put in place to encourage the provision of

infrastructure for access to local, national and international information resources. Sufficient internet

capacity for schools, colleges, businesses and provision of a reliable and secure internet

infrastructure country wide is a goal that has been set together with players in the private sector. A

nationwide network consisting of fibre optic, satellite and terrestrial radio communication networks will

soon be a reality if the trend s maintained.

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Recent efforts to liberalize the telecommunication sector and open it to private sector competition are

paying off in Kenya. Digital wireless telecommunication networks have sprung up to the extent that

cellular telephones have become quite common. The Government has liberalized the mobile cellular

market and Kenya now has two mobile cellular operators, Safaricom Ltd and Celtel International

(formerly Kencell Communications Ltd). Another effort pioneered by the Ministry of Information is

ICTvillage.com, an online portal for the ICT community in Kenya that provides an electronic meeting

place for individuals and organizations in the ICT industry is spearheading the development of a

country-wide network of community-owned digital villages or e-centres in the rural areas of Kenya.

The e-centres are to be a base for the provision of services in each constituency in Kenya.

The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), a regulatory arm of the government is supporting

the establishment of 16 School based ICT centers, two in each of the eight provinces in the country

on a pilot basis. The schools were randomly selected from areas with telecommunications network

coverage. The primary objective of establishing the School-based ICT training centres is to build ICT

capacity in Kenya aimed towards creating an informed society. CCK’s investment into this project is

worth Kshs22million. Upon implementation, the project shall among others build ICT capacity in the

country; enable easy access and flow of information; enhance provision of high quality education;

raise productivity and employment through ICTs; and connect schools in rural and high cost areas to

the rest of the world.

The country has benefited from major financial backing from donors to develop ICT throughout the

country. The Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP), financed by the World Bank,

together with the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) project that was developed by

telecommunications operators with support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and

other development partners promise to evolve the country’s ICT sector to international levels, levels

that match those of the developed countries.

All these projects will facilitate connectivity in both rural and urban areas and improve e-Government

services.

LIBRARIES AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

The key role of libraries is to provide continuing access to the knowledge base of human civilizations.

(Choy, 2007) states that libraries collectively are the main instrument that preserve and transmit this

body of accumulated knowledge or “knowledge base”. Libraries maybe called by different names but

this fundamental role is a critical component of any advanced civilization.

Internationally, a number of governments have turned to the public library network as a means of

providing information to the masses. For example, through the Peoples Network in the UK, the

government identified public libraries as “our street-corner universities”, and thus the ideal place to

give access to these new learning resources. In Australia, a number of public library-based ICT

programs were started for the citizens with the aim of increasing the level and understanding of public

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access Internet, online resources and skills. In Victoria, VICNET, a part of the State Library that

functions as a community Web publisher and Internet service provider (ISP), began a number of

online targeting people in remote areas.

In Kenya, the government appreciates that to increase accountability and empowerment,

stakeholders and all sectors of society must participate in the e-government initiative. Therefore the

library should be accepted as a strategic player in advancing good governance in the country. The

potential of ICT in governance will most effectively be harnessed through participation and

cooperation of libraries and the rest of the stakeholders from public and private sectors. Only by

combining competencies and resources can the massive roll-out of innovative ICT-based services

and the scale-up of good governance be achieved.

Government’s support for the library is mentioned in the National Information & Communications

Technology (ICT) Policy drafted by the Ministry of Information & Communications which affirms

Government’s aspiration to support the development, deployment and maintenance of the public

library and other public service Institutions as a means of encouraging free information flow in all

sectors of development. This statement underscores the government’s regard of the public library as

a major information provider.

The Kenya draft Freedom of Information policy of April 2007 also point outs the role of the Kenya

National Library Service (KNLS) in providing necessary institutional framework to ensure that every

Kenyan has access to information held by public authorities. Libraries, regardless of type need to

respond to this by proactively participating and providing information for good governance.

Why libraries for promotion of good governance?

Some of the factors that emphasis the integral roe of libraries in society and justify their position in

contributing towards good governance are outlined below.

They are important civil society organisations which represent the broad interests of

members of societies, libraries and information services and advocate multilateral,

transparent and democratic service. They enable informed participation in decision making.

Libraries are supported by government and provide vital mechanisms to access government

information and support for digital democracy.

Libraries and information services often introduce users to ICTs and their use in seeking and

using information at all levels of education and training.

Libraries and information services offer secure environments in which everyone, regardless

of age, gender or race can obtain information to take control of their lives and influence their

societies.

Librarians are trusted in their communities, know the needs of their users, and are trained

professionals committed to public service.

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LIBRARIES, ICT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE One of the factors that have favoured application of ICT in libraries is the present technological trends

characterized by improved performance by computers leading to computing power becoming

extremely inexpensive, increasing ubiquity of telecommunications and very low cost data storage

costs. Other favourable factors include decline in the price of personal computers, new forms of wide

area networks using even virtual connections and availability of high density distribution media e.g.

the CD-ROM. Library services are labour intensive and about two-thirds of library budget usually goes

for labour and therefore since machines can be made more cost-effective in ways that human beings

cannot, the use of machines is a viable alternative to increasing labour costs. In contrast, automation

of library operations makes easy and less tedious the task of accurate updating of records in files and

is likely to improve cost-effective performance by reducing the labour intensive activities and lead to

increased effectiveness through decentralized access to records.

An ICT infrastructure in the library encompasses radio, TV, access to World wide net (web sites,

online chats/forums, email, blogs), telephone and fax services and access to digitized documents.

With ICT, such things as electronic cataloguing, electronic online public access catalogues (OPACs),

electronic acquisition and serials control, electronic circulation functions, electronic distribution of

commercial publications, electronic availability of raw data, multimedia information delivery systems,

digitized collections and online textbooks are all now practicable with a higher degree of user

satisfaction.

Libraries are considered centres of knowledge. In Kenya, the Kenya National Library services (KNLS)

public libraries are probably the only decent learning centres available in the areas where they are

located. KNLS and the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Centre are of considerable

strategic value to the country’s learning systems. The KNLS libraries are public libraries that are

spread out in both urban and rural parts of the country. They comprise of 8 Provincial libraries, 9

District libraries and 17 Divisional libraries. These are managed by the Kenya National Library

Services board which has now turned to the community-based approach to establish libraries in

Kenya. These libraries are not fully automated. Most of them don’t have computers for users to

access.

There is still room for improvement as the ICT tools in the public libraries are inadequate. Users do

not have access to Internet due to access restrictions and non supporting infrastructure in the rural

areas. The public libraries in the rural parts of Kenya still lag behind in the uptake of ICT. The

provincial libraries have stand alone computers that are used only for basic library administrative

operations and are not accessible by the public.

Apart from public libraries, there are numerous special, research and academic libraries spread in

different parts of the country. Research institutions and Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in

the country are also known for their well stocked and ICT equipped libraries. Majority of the special or

research libraries are found in the major towns and are more technologically advanced than any of

the other libraries. This is mainly due to funding and support from their parent bodies and donors.

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These libraries have computers for staff and users in addition to other ICT devices that are enhance

information service provision.

There are also several other private libraries like the British Council Library. It should also be noted

that virtually all of the academic institutions beginning with the secondary schools up to the higher

education institutions have libraries (academic).

While their traditional roles for providing books and other materials and as information centers still

serve as an important role within their communities, advancements in technology have also allowed

libraries to become resources for those who need access to or help with the Internet as well. Thus,

librarians have taken up new service roles within the electronic and networked environment that they

had previously not been expected to fulfill. Increasingly, libraries, particularly public libraries in other

parts of the world are helping their users access and use information provided by government

departments. As the various government ministries continue to digitize government forms and

services, public libraries—as centers for public access in their communities—are often the only

organizations that can help citizens interact with government agencies and access E-government

resources.

All libraries in Kenya must give priority to ICT if they are to continue in the business of providing

information to the public and remain as the main point of access for researchers, students and the

rest of the public. ICT will improve delivery of local government services, improves access to

information that people need in order to function as informed citizens, broaden their participation in

governance, and stimulate economic and community development.

Libraries in Kenya have started to computerize some, or all, of their basic library functions, such as

cataloguing, acquisitions, serials control, union lists of serials, circulation, indexing, lists of new books

etc. Since the late 1980s integrated library systems (ILS) have been used for these functions. Some

libraries especially special and research libraries mentioned earlier have added further functions to

their ILS, such as reserve booking, databases of community resources, home-bound services, media

booking, and access to journal citation indexes and so on.

Open source library systems provide a favorable option for libraries that are lowly funded. There are

Integrated Library Systems, digitization, metasearch and course management software that have

been installed in libraries as a cheaper and even more effective alternative. Examples include

LibraryFind, KOHA, PHPMylibrary, Moodle, Greenstone and Evergreen.

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ICT enabled library services for governance

Digital libraries

Digital or virtual libraries have advanced as a result of ICT in the libraries. A library is no longer

defined by its physical confines, but by its collection. A digital library is a managed collection of

information, with associated services, where the information is stored in digital formats and accessible

over a network. A key part of this definition is that the information is managed.

The libraries of the twenty-first century are challenged to be digitized through the application of ICT

facilities to their libraries. This is aimed at ensuring quick and easy access of the large numbers of

library users to relevant accurate and current information from both remote and immediate databases

to facilitate learning, teaching and research.

Librarians have traditionally selected and organized resources with great care. In building digital

libraries, librarians have the opportunity to provide users with direction and to rescue them from

information overload. Copies of digitized and print documents from the government departments are

sent to libraries where they are processed commensurate with library standards before disseminating

to users using ICT. With digital technology in libraries, users can access information from anywhere.

The digital library permits users to access library and networked resources and services anytime and

anywhere so long as Internet connection and computing equipment are available. This technology

can also be adapted for rendering of service aimed at good governance by libraries in Kenya.

Information networks and consortia

No single library can afford to acquire all the resources and in all the formats available. Networking

affords participants the opportunity to acquire all that their funds could enable them to acquire and still

have access to what their users need.

ICT has made networking regardless of distance and space possible. With an enabling infrastructure,

a library is able to provide a wide range of information service to its users, drawing from both internal

and external ‘collections.

In order to facilitate more efficient information services for library users, some libraries in Kenya have

implemented relevant networks to enable links to the Internet so that users can search digital

databases of books, theses, journal articles and so on. In addition anyone from around the world with

Internet access can use these resources, given the appropriate authentication.

In Kenya, an example of such a consortium is the Kenya Libraries and Information Science

Consortium (KLISC) which partners with International Network for the Availability of Scientific

Publications (INASP), a networking organization that facilitates access to over 20,000 journals to

members at subsidized rates. Other research and special libraries have also formed consortia with

other libraries worldwide. A consortium of libraries countrywide can ensure that there is electronic

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information network linking individual libraries to information for their users for promotion of good

governance.

Internet access

With the tremendous growth of the internet, people now have access to an overwhelming range of

information sources available at the click of a mouse.

Access to the Internet has brought many benefits to the users of most libraries in Kenya. Libraries

can harness the internet abilities to provide information from various government departments. The

librarian’s role would be to educate the users on how to access and even translate some of this

information into language that is understood by the target users.

E-mail, chat forums and other Internet services can be used to lobby representatives, public officials

and commercial enterprises; to publish moral appeals; to protest, and to start referenda or citizens'

law-making.

Mobile telephony

The growing number of mobile phones is transforming Kenya. While there is evidently increased

excitement about the emergent technology, the ease and convenience of communicating has

improved public discourse and given impetus to development initiatives.

Libraries should be able to communicate with their users using mobile phones. This service, rendered

in conjunction with the telecommunication companies can be a means of linking users to their political

leaders or business counterparts at subsidized rates. Vital information from the MPs can be

transmitted by the library to the people via the appropriate channels where direct communication is

unlawful.

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CHALLENGES

The Kenya libraries face many challenges, ranging from funding to staffing. Therefore, progress

towards ICT based services in libraries and distance education has been slow for a couple of

reasons:

1. The high cost of information and communication infrastructure.

Libraries in the rural areas are disadvantaged because of the poor infrastructure. A sizeable

part of the remote areas in Kenya still lack electricity and structured telecommunication

facilities. Setting up suitable infrastructure is costly and takes a long time. The government is

making great effort to ensuring connectivity in all parts of the country before 2010.

2. The lack of technical expertise and low staff retention

There is still need for more library staff to be trained in use of ICT for information service

delivery in the modern library. Majority of libraries have just a few library staff who are ICT

literate hence there is likely to shortage of staff to train users on how to access information

using ICT. Poor retention of ICT library staff is another impeding issue. Many libraries have

not been able to retain this caliber of staff for various reasons.

3. Poor computer literacy

Even if physical access could be provided, as is being done already in many parts of the

country through telecenters, kiosks, and other media, many Kenyans cannot use ICT tools,

an outcome of poor literacy, both computer-based or otherwise. To make matters worse,

there are massive inequities in society and the educated and the affluent, mainly men, have

significantly higher access to the Internet. ICTs are new technologies. They require some

knowledge and expertise to use. Literacy rates are still low with too many people unable to

read or write. Even when one can read, ICTs require training to be able to use them

effectively.

4. Poverty

Despite other novel ways of providing access through telecenters and sharing of access,

poverty conspires to keep the financially poor away from benefiting from ICT powered

information services. Even though national absolute poverty declined from 52.3% in 1997 to

45.9% in 2005/06, 1 in 5 Kenyans still have consumption levels that are inadequate to meet basic

food needs. This is according to a DFID report of April, 2007. Kenyans falling within the poverty

bracket will hardly visit or seek ICT enabled library service if their basic needs are unfulfilled.

5. ICT applications may become distractions

ICT applications may become distractions rather than becoming the means to attaining good

governance. People may develop a fear of or dread ICT tools if they are not integrated with

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their culture and lifestyle. When installing ICT equipment. Libraries should embrace the fact

that ICTs should increase the degree of interest and involvement of the people to be served.

6. Lack of effective advocacy.

Participation of libraries in Kenya’s e-government initiative may be hampered by poor

representation or advocacy.

In (Mutula, 2005)’s article, Librarians are cited as having inadequate skills for marshalling

convincing financial and advocacy arguments for justifying investment in ICTs for information

delivery in libraries can be perceived as one of the major causes for poor technological

investment in public and academic libraries in Kenya.

Do librarians lack effective advocacy skills to lobby and justify to government and other

potential financiers, the necessity of funding for procurement of relevant ICTs and active

participation in issues of governance?

7. Lack of translated materials

Most ICT services are presented in English. This is a deterring factor for majority of the target

users, particularly people residing in the rural and remote areas, who are not conversant with

the language. Information produced by government bodies or for good governance is in

English. English is used in all the government web sites, in their graphics and instructions.

Even TV and radio programes that would be transmitted by libraries are in English.

It is ineffective to present useful information in formats that users cannot comprehend.

8. Lack of automation policies

Libraries in Kenya do not have automation policies. There are neither policies nor strategic

plans and actions for the introduction and use of ICT. This makes introduction of ICT for

dissemination of information for good governance difficult as there is no framework to initiate

a systematic program that would maximize positive impact.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Due to the insufficient funding and underdevelopment of the public libraries in Kenya, academic and

special libraries in those areas that do not have public libraries should participate and contribute in

the extending e-governance to both their target clientele and the surrounding communities.

It is not only the role of the public library to avail information or good governance, special and

academic libraries need to collect, store, process and disseminate these information to their target

users as well. Academic libraries in colleges, primary and secondary schools should be stocked with

print and online information from government for access by their students and teachers.

School libraries should stock information to support civic education in the schools as a way of

promoting good governance. Public and academic libraries, alongside Civil Society Organizations,

can help in civic education programmes and provide the necessary information aimed at developing

an informed electorate. Public libraries, with their open access and usually being centrally located,

can help with voter registration and even serve as polling stations in some areas. The libraries,

through Internet facilities, can reach out to politically disaffected or unmotivated citizens and publicize

party positions, solicit feedback, new ideas and new members.

In Kenya, the KNLS public libraries should be seen as a readily available facility with the essential

manpower and infrastructure to support good governance. Government initiatives for e-governance

should take advantage of this fact and actively involve the libraries in creating information bases for

the enlightenment of citizens in the villages, cities, schools and market places. Public libraries need to

be well equipped and staffed to ensure ICT generated information is disseminated to the users who

are well oriented in the use of these technologies.

The public library should particularly be seen as a political institution, providing citizens with the

necessary information to fulfill their civic duties in helping to sustain the democratic gains of the

country. An informed citizenry is best poised to ensure good governance. In this regard, there is the

need to educate and retrain public librarians as civic information specialists who are able to develop

and actively disseminate critical issues like human rights, electoral processes, citizen participation in

policy-making and government accountability.

The public libraries in Kenya should be supported by government in order to serve as the first refuge

and last resort for E-government support, public computing, and Internet access. There is no need to

‘reinvent the wheel’ by creating new institutions: the existing worldwide network of libraries and

information services provide the essential foundations for capacity building. Information from

government or public departments can be published via the existing public, special and academic

libraries with the KNLS acting as focal point in the network.

It is important that information materials aimed for the masses be translated in accordance with the

people’s abilities. Librarians who are trained in publishing and translation should be involved in the e-

government initiatives as translators as well as disseminators.

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The need for partnership between libraries and governments in e-government initiatives need not be

emphasized. Largely, priorities espoused in e-governance such as accessibility, affordability,

appropriate citizen content and appropriate conduits are similar to what libraries need to achieve

using various ICTs. This commonality should make governments and libraries partners in the e-

government partnership in the information age. Libraries will, however, need to be proactive to

influence their partnership with governments if they have to beat other stakeholders in the ball game.

(Mutula, 2005) suggests that librarians must make proposals, create awareness, develop human

resources and enjoy the partnerships in the e-government flight in cyberspace. Such partnerships

could provide a perfect recipe and a solid base upon which an information society could be built in

Kenya. Strategies by which libraries can be more knowledgeable of E-government services and

resources can be developed through these partnerships.

Information literacy and training roles of libraries could be critical to the effectiveness of the e-

government-library partnership. Libraries have well-trained information professionals and increasingly

ICT-literate staff who can work with government to create content and provide information services to

the population. The ability of libraries to manage online information in modern library services

demonstrates the skills and knowledge of the technical resources needed to organize online

government information in order to evolve into full e-government information resources.

On the other hand, the government can provide infrastructure, and put in place favorable environment

for the private sector to participate in this relationship, so that it can provide state-of-the art

technology. Library staff can be further trained to have a range of E-government skills and

knowledge.

The development of networks between public libraries and educational institutions and Organizations

is possible with ICTs. Libraries should be encouraged to implement ICT enabled services that can

then be shared electronically by all the stakeholders and their users. Electronic networks between

public libraries and research libraries, school libraries and special libraries in Kenya will improve

access to information to a wider user group.

Partnerships should also be established with the media by libraries to ensure consistent flow of

information. Libraries should be consulted when composing information for the masses to establish

user preferences and suitable formats for effective communication. This partnership should cut

across all forms of media - from radio to television to print. Partnering with the media will be central to

the libraries and other partners in making an impact in developing planning and implementation

effective governance tools.

E-governance has potential for the libraries in Kenya as a faster means for libraries to share

resources and enhance outreach services. E-governance will provide libraries with opportunities to

access large amounts of government information that would be difficult to access in a non-electronic

environment. It is possible that with the number of governments information increasing online, e-

government provides a new way of enhancing bibliographic control of government information and

networking among disparate libraries.

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Once the government and other bodies engage the library in dissemination information for good

governance, it will be crucial that the libraries ability to assist community members in access to and

use of E-government services be publicized.

CONCLUSION There is need for the government to recognize the various E-government roles, services, and

activities that can be provided by libraries using ICT. The government should therefore engage

libraries in promotion of good governance.

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REFERENCES

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2. Adesida, O, (2001) ‘Governance in Africa: The Role for Information and Communication Technologies”, Economic Research Papers No 65, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

3. Arms, W. (2000), Digital Libraries, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

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NOTES

1. Draft Freedom of Information Policy by Ministry of Information & Communications April 2007, http://www.e-government.go.ke/

2. Flynn, E, “The role of e-Government and e-Governance in the developed and developing world.”, An Annotated Bibliography, http://www.gg.rhul.ac.uk/ict4d/GG3077/Biblios/Flynn.doc

3. The Kenya Freedom of Information Bill 2007, Ministry of Information & Communications, Kenya, http://www.e-government.go.ke/

4. Kenya: Factsheet April 2007, United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/JBRN-739BDA?OpenDocument

5. National Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Policy, By Ministry of Information & Communications January 2006, http://www.e-government.go.ke/

6. Promoting the global information commons: A commentary on the library and information implications of the WSIS Declaration of Principles, http://www.ifla.org/III/wsis070604.html

7. http://africa.rights.apc.org/en-chakula.shtml?x=19018

8. http://www.ictvillage.com/Digital_Villages.asp

17

9. http://www.dfid.gov.uk/countries/africa/kenya.asp

10. http://www.kenya.go.ke/

11. http://www.statehousekenya.go.ke/

12. http://www.tourism.go.ke/

13. http://www.cabinetoffice.go.ke/

14. http://www.dpm.go.ke/

15. http://www.treasury.go.ke/

16. http://www.cdf.go.ke/CDF_Regulations.htm

17. http://www.open-ils.org/

18. http://www.oss4lib.org/