User Education Practices on Utilization of Electronic Resources at the Kenya Revenue Authority Library, Nairobi ()
1. Introduction
This paper comprises background information, statement of the problem, objective, locale and theoretical framework of the study. Besides, it has methodology, data analysis and results, plus the summary, conclusion and recommendations.
1.1. Background Information
All actions involved in educating users on how to make the best possible use of library resources, services, and facilities, including formal and informal training done one-on-one or in a group by a librarian or other staff members, are referred to as user education (Adindu et al., 2020). Libraries are collections of information sources that can be borrowed and used for research. Libraries are knowledge mine centers, making them an important and fundamental component of academic life (Rao, 2011). The first library, which went back about 5000 years, was made up of a collection of clay tablets that were later replaced by printed books (Botha et al., 2009). This was turned into paper and other materials over time. This was eventually converted into paper and other printed items, which were stored at the library.
The origins of library user education, according to Tiefel (1995), can be traced back over 170 years. For users of a certain institution, a library provides reference and referral services. It is the library’s obligation to give better services to its patrons in order to ensure that information sources, services, and resources are effectively utilized for the advantage of the users. As a result, a user education program is critical for library users’ success.
In India, Sethi & Panda (2012) noted that the library and information landscape in India had altered with the advent of the digital era, and traditional libraries now operated as “knowledge centers” with a focus on value-added electronic information services. The traditional environment is fast transitioning to an electronic one, and demand for internet and e-resources among academic and research communities has risen dramatically over time. However, a review of the literature finds that there are few studies on the usage of e-resources and the Internet by academics, researchers, and students all over the world (Sethi & Panda, 2012).
In Pakistan, Bajpai, Hada, & Bajpai (2016) believed that the Internet allowed people in Pakistan to access a wide range of information, including current research articles, from anywhere in the world. Having websites and a mechanism to search and categorize the output allow scholars and academic institutions to share knowledge with a wider audience. In order to facilitate the access to and use of e-resources in academic libraries, a global initiative is underway.
In South Africa, Sejane (2018) showed that resources are primarily used for communication and support educational and learning activities such as professional research, assignments, and lecture requirements. In addition, resource awareness was found to come primarily through formal involvement, such as library orientation, and informal involvement, such as colleagues. Academic libraries in Kenya seem to be facing daunting challenges in regard to the primary role of delivering information to the users (Makori, 2012). In the era of unprecedented technological innovation and evolving user expectations and information-seeking behaviors, information perusal are arguably on the online society, with digital services increasingly common and increasingly preferred. As trusted information providers, libraries are in the advantageous position to respond, but this requires mutual enterprise architecture planning, for IT has evolved from support role to strategic role, providing the core management systems, communication networks and delivery channels of the modern library.
The KRA library was established through an act of parliament established by the Kenya Revenue Authority for enhancing and mobilization of Government revenue, while providing effective tax administration and sustainability in revenue collection. KRA library was established in the year 2003 to consolidate the small branches libraries, which were under Customs, Value Added Tax (VAT) and Income Tax Departments. Upon establishment, the KRA library services were placed under the management of Research, Knowledge Management and Corporate Planning (RKM&CP), in order to provide centralized management of all the resource centers in the authority. KRA has seven administration regions namely: Nairobi, Southern, Western, Central, Northern, South Rift and North Rift. Avail library services to all staff, a library was set up in Swan Centre, Western Kenya Region in November 2017 to service staff in the Western Region. Similarly, another one was set up in Customs House Mombasa to service staff in the Southern Region.
The third library is under establishment in the South Rift Region. The essential mandate of the library facility in KRA is to provide quality information services that will support the authority in carrying out its core business processes of tax administration. The library is designed to accommodate 40 readers and holds 4000 volumes of books and bound journals. The library is divided into four units: acquisitions, cataloguing, serials, and readers’ services. The library has made subscriptions to e-journals and databases that cost the organization millions of shillings annually.
1.2. Statement of the Problem
In the present milieu, e-resources are regarded as the backbone of any research institution as they are a means to provide easy and simultaneous access to information at any time. The migration of print resources to electronic resources has possibly varied impacts on the users and institutions that use them. The search for information is increasingly becoming important, particularly for academic and research purposes. At the same time, the ability to sift through the range of information available online to find reliable and accurate data is becoming more important every day. Significant investment has been made in electronic resources and accompanying computer-based technology to ensure access to electronic resources by staff and users at the Kenya Revenue Authority Library. To facilitate access and use, the organization has also provided the requisite technology and an enabling e-resource environment. Whereas accessing electronic information resources offers opportunities to obtain accurate and timely literature, there seems to be low usage of e-resources at KRA library. This is evident from library statistics. A preliminary investigation revealed that these electronic resources are under-utilized as per the library statistics on the databases reports from the principal librarian. Low usage of electronic resources is a challenge to the library management since a lot of money is spent in purchasing or subscribing to various electronic information resource packages. Thus, with underutilization of e-resources, there is no return on investment. It is against this background that it is necessary to assess types of user education practices and their resultant impact on utilization of e-resources at the KRA library arises.
1.3. Research Objective
The objective of the study was to determine the types of user education practices for utilizing e-resources at the KRA library.
1.4. Theoretical Framework
The essence of user education is to equip library users with the skills and awareness to become independent and efficient library users. This study is hinged on the Behaviorism theory. Behaviorism started as a reaction against introspective psychology in the 19th century, which relied heavily on first-person accounts. Watson (1931) rejected introspective methods as being subjective and unquantifiable. These psychologists wanted to focus on observable, quantifiable events and behaviors. The author said that science should take into account only observable indicators and helped bring psychology into higher relevance by showing that it could be accurately measured and understood.
Behavioral learning theory is a popular concept that focuses on how users learn (Omoroghomwan, 2017). Activism focuses on the idea that all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment. This learning theory states that behavior is learned from the environment and that innate or inherited factors have little effect on behavior (Aslan & Aydin, 2016). Activists see learning as a connection or connection between an individual and his environment. Therefore, this is called Stimulus Response (SR) learning. They see learning as the acquisition of new behavior by conditioning. The user’s computing experience relaxes the relationship between facilitation terms and their intent to use them. The intention-to-use behavior highly impacts on users’ usage of electronic information resources. The theory is therefore relevant in understanding the users’ behavioral intention and influencing factors in respect to introducing new innovative technologies in libraries hence may be used by other higher education institutions to make decisions related to the investment in the modern library systems (Lapaglia, 2019).
2. Literature Review
This section reviews literature relevant to key aspects related to the study objective.
2.1. Types of User Education Practices
There are various types of user education practices. Course-related instructions, course-integrated instructions, individualized leaning, library orientation/instruction, bibliographic instruction, computer-assisted education, and web-based instructions.
2.2. Course-Related Instructions
Librarians teach users course-associated learning, which include learning programs and generic data skills. Credit courses and workbooks, for example, are frequently overall in breadth and not subject-unified. They are mostly concerned with bibliographic details (Ormondroyd, 2003). The usage of ICT has become an integral aspect of the course curriculum as a result of technological advancements. Introducing the course in certain libraries was prompted by misuse, mismanagement, and general abuse of library resources. They’re not as intense as course-integrated lessons. This is where the most of library use courses at libraries in Nigerian universities (Ogunmodede & Emeahara, 2010).
2.3. Course-Integrated Instructions
Collaboration among faculty and academic academics in organizing and implementing study projects, and providing instructors to learners, is required for course-integrated library education (lecture) (Ormondroyd, 2003; Imo & Igbo, 2011; Nithyanandam et al., 2006). It further necessitates that librarians have a solid understanding of the course’s objectives and a simple understanding of the theme area. In this regard, any faculty lecturer may, upon request, present themes for course-integrated library education in any area. Topics could include how to use specific databases, an Internet portal like for agricultural research, access to AGORA (Global On-line Research in Agriculture) or an electronic agricultural library on CD-ROM like The Essential Electronic Agricultural/Library (TEEAL). It could also be about how to use an OPAC (open public access catalogue) or perform Internet research. Each of these stages could be completed in a library’s computer lab.
2.4. Individual Instructions
Individual instruction, according to Nithyanandam et al. (2006), is a circumstance in which teachers and students make an appointment with the user education Librarian to learn new skills and sources. They claim that such training has aided academics working on dissertations, grant writers doing literature reviews, and students working on long and intricate research papers. The goal of a well-designed and rigorously performed user education program is to guarantee that users make the most of the library’s resources, services, and facilities. The user education program allows the user to obtain any information he or she desires while also learning how to use the library’s resources, services, and facilities independently (Aina, 2004).
2.5. Library Orientation
Users are taught how to use the indexes, bibliographic tools, abstracts, and other reference resources during library orientation. This strategy frequently gives scholars in their field instructions on where to find certain information resources. The goal of library instruction is to provide detailed instructions for using and comprehending certain information systems, sources, and technologies (Mishra & Mahapatra, 2013). The following were the goals of the orientation: Motivation for searching for and using information, as well as raising knowledge of accessible information resources and exposing them to the library’s numerous organizing tools. Library talks, library tours of various library units, the distribution of a library guide to each new user, displays, seminars, workshops, and a power point presentation of a library tour are all part of the library orientation course. Library orientation is seen as a marketing and welcome activity by Agyen-Gyasi (2008), whereas according to Nithyanandam et al. (2006), it is a method of acquainting prospective students with the intricacies of university library facilities (2006). The librarian and his associates typically conduct library orientation at the university-wide orientation in Babcock University Library, and slots are available for the librarian or his deputy to deliver a talk (The Free Library, 2010).
2.6. Library Instruction
Users are taught how to use the indexes, bibliographic tools, abstracts, and other reference items in the library through library teaching. This strategy frequently gives scholars in their field instructions on where to find certain information resources. The following are the objectives: Provide detailed instructions on how to utilize and comprehend a particular information system, information source, or tool. There are three types of library instructions: online or distance; face-to-face or traditional and hybrid, which uses a blend of in-person and online delivery methods. The same online content that was produced for distance users is now being used in face-to-face lessons. There are numerous benefits or motivations for generating online educational materials. Online education can help web-based courses reach more students, augment face-to-face instruction sessions, motivate academic staff to use information literacy teaching even if they don’t have time to give face-to-face sessions, and stretch restricted manpower resources (Yang, 2014).
2.7. Bibliographic Instruction
Due to their hierarchical structure, bibliographic tools are typically difficult to use. As a result, the goal of these instructions is to expose users to bibliographical tools. Providing assistance in understanding the features of these instruments as well as the scope of their subject covered. In some ways, bibliographic training is a reaction to the library tour. Tutors frequently believe that the library tour is all that their students need to know about the library. This is not the case, as library personnel, particularly those on the reference desk, are well aware. Instructional programs are created as a response to a specific assignment question or one of the library’s many difficulties (Kumar, 2009).
As a result, bibliographic teaching is frequently a response to library customers’ perceived or actual lack of library knowledge and abilities. From those who are proficient in database searches to those who rely on shelf browsing, all library users have some level of library abilities. Bibliographic instruction aims to improve user abilities on a variety of levels in relation to certain resources, such as teaching a class how to use a specific subject resource. In this sense, bibliographic teaching is a process that enhances the interaction between the individual and the library’s complicated organization (Kumar, 2009).
By educating the individual how to utilize the library effectively, bibliographic training seeks to clarify the relationship between information and the individual. The user is introduced to the information resources available in specific topic areas, as well as the skills for using these resources, through bibliographic education. The nuts and bolts of the nature and function of libraries, including classification systems, online catalogues, and how to find a specific book on the shelves, are also covered in subject-specific bibliographic teaching (Okoye, 2013).
2.8. Computer-Assisted Instruction
Salisbury (1971) defined computer-assisted instruction as a type of human-computer interaction in which a computer system completes the teaching function without the involvement of a human teacher. A memory computer stores training materials and teaching logic. CAI refers to the use of a computer as an instructional tool, such as presenting new material, assessing the user’s knowledge of previously presented information, or helping him to discover new concepts. Because the user interacts directly with the computer, the teacher is not required to be there. The lesson includes all of the necessary procedures. Users can press keys to control the process to see if they can proceed at their own pace. Compared to traditional modes of instruction, Computer Assisted Instruction has a number of advantages.
For repetitious types of training, Farber (1995) identified many intrinsic advantages of employing computers rather than humans: “A computer has endless tolerance, has no time limits, doesn’t take coffee breaks or misses’ weekends, and can adjust to individual wants and wishes.” Furthermore, CAI takes a more personalized approach, allowing students to work at their own pace. It is consistent (offering the same material to each student), flexible, and tailored to fit the learners needs have varied skill levels, and it allows learners to repeat or skip sections as needed. As a result, it ensures that students’ levels of performance are equalized, which implies that even if some students take longer to complete the program than others, they should all have essentially the same understanding of the subject. CAI can reach a higher number of students per semester because it does not require the engagement of a librarian. Meanwhile, it can save librarians time by allowing them to spend less time on fundamental training and more time on other tasks (such as assisting users with specific questions) and avoid burnout (Rupe, 1986).
2.9. Web-Based Instructions
Users benefit from a high level of involvement and flexibility with web-based user education. Because they are quickly updated, accessible, and printed on demand, web guides and teaching materials can be found all over the Internet. Libraries, including ours, are increasingly establishing services that are available outside of the library, such as electronic collections, virtual reference, and so on. We must seriously consider developing a web-based interactive course that will not be able to totally replace traditional techniques, but will be able to augment and extend existing offerings. It must be tailored to various learning styles as well as the additional opportunities that the Internet, notably Library 2.0, provides (Warnken, 2004).
Since they are quickly updated, accessible, and printed on demand, web guides and teaching materials can be found all over the Internet. Color visuals and screenshots may be included. In well-organized pages, the finest ones collect librarian-selected Web links, subscription services, and library materials. It’s unrealistic to expect a single library or individual to create the finest resource guides for every resource. Web links to other people’s excellent work are a popular trend. Web tutorials and training modules have been developed by a small number of libraries. They can approach the quality of multimedia authoring tools if done effectively. The James Madison University Library’s Go for the Gold module series and the University of Nevada’s learn to utilize the library tutorial are two examples (Chalukya, 2015).
3. Research Methodology
3.1. Research Design
Creswell & Creswell (2017) define research design as plans and procedures for research that span the decisions from broad assumptions to detailed methods of data collection and analysis. A descriptive research design deals with conditions, practices, structures, or processes that evidently portray the trends that exists or opinions held. The aim of descriptive design is to describe the characteristics of a population or situation (Creswell, 2013). The descriptive research design was adopted for the study. This research design was used to find facts and thereby involves adequate and accurate interpretation of findings. Relatively the method was appropriate to this study since it aimed to describe the present condition of the utilization of electronic resources amongst library users and staff at Kenya Revenue Authority Library. The study employed mixed methods approach which involved collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative aspects of data at the same time using closed and open-ended questionnaires. Concurrent (embedded design) of mixed methods was used where both quantitative and qualitative were analyzed concurrently where each method was complimentary and had a supportive secondary role and thus helped to draw conclusions entirely. The design enabled the researcher to integrate qualitative and quantitative data for better analysis and reliable outputs/results.
3.2. Location of the Study
The study was carried out at Kenya Revenue Authority Library which is located on the thirty-fourth floor at the Times Tower building opposite the Central bank of Kenya along Haile Selassie Avenue. The KRA library was chosen because it has all literature and library and information services on the KRA and moreover electronically.
3.3. Target Population
According to Majid (2018), target population is a complete set of individuals with some common characteristics to which the researcher wants to generalize the results of the study. Kenya Revenue Authority is divided into seven core departments. The study target population consisted of 145 management staff and users from various departments within KRA headquarters. The distribution of management staff in the departments was as follows: Customs & Border Control Department had twenty three officers, Domestic Taxes Department has thirty one officers, Intelligence & Strategic Operations Department had nine officers, Investigations & Enforcement Department had sixteen officers, Strategy, Innovation & Risk Management Department had thirty seven officers, Corporate Support Services Department had twelve officers comprising of principal librarian and library assistants, and Legal Services & Board Coordination Department had seventeen officers.
3.4. Sample and Sampling Technique
According to Gravetter & Wallnau (2017), a sample size is a research term used for defining the number of individuals included in a research study to represent a population. The study used census sampling where all sections of a population are selected equally. Sample size is the number of persons, units or objects selected to represent the population according to some rule or plan (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). To determine the sample size of this study, the researcher used a census approach to pick on all of them for the study as indicated in Table 1. Therefore, the study used a sample size of 145 respondents comprising of respondents from various departments at the KRA headquarters.
3.5. Data Collection Instruments
This section precisely describes data collection instruments, as well as describing their nature, meaning, and purposes including justification as to why they are selected. Two instruments of data collection were employed to get information for this study. The study used both primary and secondary data.
Questionnaires were administered to the staff and users of the Kenya Revenue Authority Library. The questionnaires used both structured and unstructured questions. The researcher used structured questionnaires as they require a lower cognitive load on the respondent. They reduce the amount of thinking that a respondent need to undertake to complete the task. This generally led to higher response and more accurate data. It was easier for the researcher to code, analyze and ease data analysis while open ended questions helped the researcher to get detailed information. The researcher used questionnaires and structured interview schedules to collect primary data. The questionnaires included both open ended and closed ended questions. This enabled the researcher to collect responses from a large sample of quantitative and qualitative data which facilitated deeper understanding. The questionnaire was both structured and unstructured and divided into sections, covering the background information of the respondents and the study variables.
Interviews allowed the researcher to control over the line of questioning. The interview sessions conducted by the researcher, began with a formal introduction where the researcher firstly, stated the purpose of the interviews and the reasons why respondents were selected for interviews. This involved face to face interview with principal librarian and four library assistants selected. They were particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant’s experiences and pursue in-depth information around the subject.
3.6. Data Collection Methods
The questionnaires were administered to the users at KRA through hand delivery. Staffs far from the office had questionnaires emailed to them so that they could give their responses. To maximize the response rate, the researcher made follow-ups with the respondents to answer the questions. The follow-ups were aimed at having higher rate of response for the respondents. Additional time was given to the respondents who had not completed after a period of a week to ensure all respondents filled the questionnaires as anticipated. The interviews were done to the top library managers and library patrons. The time for the interviews was agreed prior to the date of the interview. During the interview sessions, proper identification and explanation about the study was done to promote candid discussion. All the responses were recorded in a notebook for further analysis and interpretation.
3.7. Data Analysis and Presentation
According to Cooper & Schindler (2008), data analysis involves editing and reducing accumulated data to a manageable size, developing summaries and seeking for patterns using statistical methods. Data collected quantitatively was analyzed using descriptive statistics which aimed to quantitatively summarize data sets. The data collected was coded and organized into tables and entered Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for analysis. The data was checked for completeness, consistence and reliability before analysis. The final report was typed as a formal textual report with relevant illustrations,i.e., figures, tables and pie charts. Thematic analysis was used for data that was qualitative nature or aspect of the data collected from the open ended questions. The findings were presented in prose-form.
4. Data Analysis and Results
4.1. Response Rate
The sample size of the study comprised of 145 employees at KRA comprising of the management, library staff, library users and support staff. Questionnaires were administered to users while interviews were for the library management. The researcher dropped the questionnaires and agreed with the staff when to return to pick them. Out of 140 questionnaires which were distributed, 131 were duly filled and returned. The drop-off and pick-up-later method yielded a high response rate of 96.3%. Five respondents were interviewed. They included the principal librarian and the library assistants. According to Kothari (2014), a response rate that is above 70% is classified as excellent. This therefore implies that the study’s response rate was within the acceptable limits to proceed with data analysis, make conclusions as well as recommendations and suggestions for further research.
4.2. Types of User Education Practices for Utilizing E-Resources at the KRA Library
The objective of the study was to determine types of user education practices for utilizing e-resources at the KRA library. The respondents were requested to indicate the type of user education programme in use at KRA. The results were as shown in Figure 1.
From the results 36% of the respondents indicated Library orientation, 33% indicated bibliographic instruction while 31% indicated library instruction. This implied that the KRA library provided a variety of user education programmes and could therefore be used in the training and instructing of users. The results are supported by Julien, Leckie & Harris (1996) who noted that the method of delivering lectures, such as classroom lectures, individual instruction and orientation are still very prominent. However, in the developed countries like America and Canada, due to increased technological sophistication, the mode of delivering of these lectures is changing from the traditional lecture method towards the teaching of critical evaluation of sources/information, research strategies, individual instruction and course integrated lectures.
![]()
Figure 1. Type of user education programme used in use at KRA.
The findings imply that the KRA library provided a variety of user education programmes and could therefore be used in the training and instructing of users. The findings concur with Ogunmodede & Emeahara (2010) who proposed the specific components of user education as general orientation, library talk and library tour given to new students some of whom have never made use of well-established libraries, to the complexities of university library facilities; librarians familiarizing users who have little or no information seeking skills at all with a broad range of library resources in order to develop library skills; librarians educating users on how to access resources manually through a card catalogue or electronically using on-line public access catalogues and librarians educating students through credit-earning course work.
4.3. Effectiveness of the Programmes
The respondents were requested to indicate how effective user education programmes were in enabling users independently access and use e-resources. The results were as shown in Figure 2.
![]()
Figure 2. Effectiveness of the programmes.
From the results, 40% of the respondents indicated user education programme was less effective, 30% indicated effective, 20% indicated very effective while 10% indicated not effective. This implies that majority of the respondents felt that user education programmes were less effective in enabling independent accessibility and use of e-resources amongst users. The outcomes disagreed with Atram (2017) who stated that properly designed and meticulously executed user education programmes are intended to ensure that customers make optimal use of the library’s resources, services, and facilities The user education program allows the user to obtain any information he or she desires while also learning how to use the library’s resources, services, and facilities independently.
Users were also required to explain how effective the programs were in enabling them access and use the e-resources independently. One of the users responded:
“I find the programs effective because I am able to access them”
Another user said:
“The programs are less effective because they don’t meet all my user needs”
From the interviews, one of the library assistant responded:
“We evaluate effectiveness of the programmes by tracking the frequency of visits and access to our databases by users, thus we find the programmes effective”
The findings were contradictory however from the descriptive statistics; the findings implied that the users regarded the programs to be less effective. These findings were consistent with those of Prakash (2017) who stated that user education programs are beneficial in ensuring that users are proficient in using ICT in libraries, allowing them the accessibility and use online materials and additional services successfully.
4.4. Frequency of Conducting User Education
The respondents were requested to indicate how often user education programme were carried out among library users. The results were as shown in Figure 3.
From the results, 46% of the respondents indicated user education programme
![]()
Figure 3. Frequency of conducting user education.
were carried out on monthly basis, 44% indicated weekly basis while 11% indicated daily basis. This implies that user education programmes were not frequently carried out among library users as seen with most respondents indicating it was carried out per month. This also reveals why there is a challenge of instructing users. The findings are related to Ford (1994) who notes that issues of information access and usage have grown increasingly important in South Africa, Australia, and the Netherlands, prompting the incorporation of user education and information literacy principles into their school and higher education curricula. These perspectives suggest that user education is an ongoing effort that must be carried out for all user groups. Training could be designed around the level of difficulty of the material or the users’ educational background to make sure that users are equipped with effective techniques of accessing, assessing, and synthesizing data from a numerous source.
From the interviews, the researcher required the principal librarian and library assistants in KRA to give insights on which user education practices were mounted in the library. The principal librarian responded:
“These practices are mounted on monthly basis”
This conforms to Adindu, Achebe & Uzoechina (2020) who established that user education programmes were regularly mounted on a monthly basis in federal Nigerian university libraries.
5. Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
This section discusses the summary of the findings pertaining to how user education practices are planned, organized and implemented at KRA in response to the challenge of training and instructing users on the use of information sources and services.
From the results, the types of user education practices for utilizing e-resources at the KRA Library include library orientation, bibliographic instruction and library instruction. The study established that user education programmes were not commonly carried out among library users since only 46% of the respondents indicated that user education programmes were carried out on a monthly, 44% on a weekly, while 11% indicated a daily basis.
5.1. Conclusion
The study concludes that adopting various types of user education practices is good for the KRA library. Implementation of various types of user education practices is helpful to ensure exhaustive and effective use of information resources and services. Adopting different types of user education practices provides various search options to users and library managers. User education programmes, if effectively provided, are, therefore, useful to the library as well as each and every user in search of information and other library services.
5.2. Recommendations
The paper has come up with the following recommendations:
1) Librarians should consider the extension of user education programmes in terms of content, depth and teaching strategies and methods as it is critical for further success of the programme;
2) Librarians should conduct frequent surveys on users so as to get their views on user education and find solutions to the challenges facing user education practices at KRA;
3) Moreover, the paper recommends that the integration of user education practices should consist of ongoing collaborative efforts of users and librarians.