Library

The Egerton University Library System serves as the intellectual heart of our campus, offering a vast collection of specialized agricultural archives and digital research portals. 

We provide students and faculty with 24/7 access to global academic databases and e-journals, bridging the gap between local inquiry and international scholarship.

The vision of the Library is to become an excellent information centre for academic and research activities of Egerton University community, by providing a conducive environment for reading and learning.

Library Divisions

 

The Library has three main divisions: the Technical Services Division, the Readers Services Division and the Records Management and Archives Division.

Under these divisions the Library has various sections offering different services to the esteemed users. Each of the above sections is headed by an in-charge or section head who supervises the day to day activities of the section.

Technical Services Division

 

Under the Technical Service Division, the following services are offered:

  • The Acquisition Section: Charged with the responsibility of identifying, selecting and ordering information materials, furniture and equipments.
  • The Technical Processing Section: Responsible for cataloguing and classification of information materials.
  • The Book Binding and Repair Section: Responsible for identifying books that need minor and major repairs as well as binding.

Readers Service Division

 

Under the Readers Service Division, the following services are offered:

  • The Circulation Services Section: Responsible for charging and discharging services. This includes the Reserve or short loan services.
  • The Reprographic Services Section: Offering photocopying, scanning and printing services.
  • The Reference and Information Services Section: Responsible for reference, referral, interlibrary loan and user education services; current awareness services (CAS) and selective dissemination of information.
  • The Resource Centre: Responsible for provision of internet and online research services.
  • The Archives section: Responsible for providing information from documents in the archives.
  • The Periodicals and Africana Section: Responsible for providing access to print periodicals and Africana Materials.
  • Digital Library and Information Literacy Services section: Responsible for uploading, preservation and dissemination of information resources published by Egerton University and its affiliated Institutes in digital format.

Records Management & Archives Centre

 

Whose mandate is to coordinate the records and archives functions of the University, in accordance with the set standards and legal procedures. It advises the Departments on creation, control, maintenance, storage, retrieval and eventual disposition of records in all formats.

Evaluation of Library Services

 

The Library develops and maintains quality information services by seeking feedback from the users through user satisfaction surveys, suggestion boxes and complaints and compliments books. In addition the library collects and analyses users’ statistics. The comments and recommendations of the users are then taken into consideration to improve the services.

Online Journals, E-books and Databases

 

Egerton University Library provides access to a huge range of electronic resources (e-resources) to support learning, teaching and research for students, staff and researchers. The major databases and their subject strengths are listed alphabetically below. Please select your preferred publisher and have access to the most authentic online information. Researchers can also search across all e-resources simultaneously from a single search box by following the link below:

Vision

 

The vision of the Library is to become an excellent information centre for academic and research activities of Egerton University community, by providing a conducive environment for reading and learning.

Mission

 

To support teaching, learning and research information needs of Egerton University community by providing access to information, disseminating relevant information resources and giving quality user centred services.

Mandate

 

The University Library’s mandate is to acquire, process, organize and disseminate information resources in all formats (print and non-print) to support the teaching, learning and research activities of the University.

Organization of Resources

 

Information resources are processed and organized using the internationally accepted standards like Library of Congress Classification Scheme and the Anglo American Cataloguing Rules which enhances easy access to the materials as well as resource sharing with other libraries. Through collaborations with other University Libraries and Library & Information Consortium, the library is able to share resources and subscribe to information resources at subsidized rates. The library has a rich collection of thousands of volumes of latest editions in various disciplines. It has 24 hours Internet connectivity through which electronic resources are accessed through the IP address for those within Campus and passwords for remotely located users. Using the AMLIB Library Management System, the Library has automated all its operations making information service more effective and efficient. Using 3M electronic Library Security System the library is able to safeguard against theft of library materials.

Library Administration

 

The Library has an elaborate administrative structure that is fully integrated with the University’s organizational structure. The University Librarian reports to the DVC (Academics, Research and Extension) and is a member of the University Management Board, Senate, Deans Committee and Board of Post Graduate Studies, and Board of Quality Assurance, among others.

The University recognizes the Library as an academic department and clearly states in the statutes that the University Librarian is the Head of the Library Department. The duties and responsibilities of the University Librarian are clearly stated in the Duties and Responsibilities of Staff in the Academic Division. There is a standing Library and Bookshop Advisory Committee, a sub-committee of Senate, which considers all aspects of the Library’s developmental needs including policies and procedures, staff and information resources. This committee is chaired by the DVC (A, R&E), and its members are drawn from various faculties and from the students’ body.

The Library has a clear internal administrative structure to guide the operations and management of the Library services. There is a Library Management Committee comprising of the Branch Librarians and Division Heads.

Current Library Management Members:

  • Mrs. Janegrace K. Kinyanjui – University Librarian
  • Ms. Sally Kiplagat – I/C of Readers Services Division
  • Mr. Kenneth Rotich – I/C of Digital Library Services Division
  • Ms. Felicitas C. Ratanya – I/C of Technical Services Division
  • Ms. Milcah Musachi – I/C of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Librarian
  • Andrew Njuguna – I/C of Faculty of Law Librarian / I/C of Library Systems
  • Ms. Salina Tallam – I/C of Faculty of Education & Development Studies Library
  • Mr. Edward Ruto – I/C of J.D. Rockefeller Librarian
  • Mrs. Rosemary Miriti – I/C of Records Management and Archives Center Archivist
  • William Kipchumba – Nakuru Town Campus College Librarian

Library Policies, Rules and Regulations

 

The day-to-day operations of the library are guided by a Strategic Plan and various Policies and Guidelines. These include:

  • The Comprehensive Library Policy, which incorporates:
    • The Collection Development Policy
    • The ICT Policy
    • The Weeding and Disposal Policy
  • The Records Management and Archives Policy
  • The Library Rules and Regulations
  • Policy on how to serve the part-time lecturers