Challenges faced by librarians in implementation of federated search tools: a study on Kabarak University and St. Paul’s University

Abstract

Librarians’ efforts to implement software that would help library users search multiple electronic databases simultaneously is faced by obstacles. This study therefore sought to identify challenges faced by librarians in selected academic libraries in Kenya in efforts to implement federated search tools. The objectives of the study were to assess ICT infrastructure, management support, policies, funding, and training and ICT skills in relation to implementation of federated search tools. The study is useful to academic libraries which are struggling to implement the federated search tools. The study used descriptive case study research design strategy. Purposive sampling technique was used to identify the participating Universities. The target population in the study was 30 library staff and 12 ICT staff from Kabarak and St. Paul’s Universities. The study used a sample size of 34 library and university ICT staff. Questionnaires were used to collect data from selected respondents. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, pie charts, graphs, frequency tables were used to analyze data. Excel Spreadsheet was used to generate pie charts and graphs. The findings from this study established that the two academic libraries have not successfully implemented federated search tools and were facing challenges such as lack of adequate support from the university management, failure by the university management to allocate funds to support implementation of federated search tools, lack of policies to guide implementation, inadequate ICT skills and unreliable internet connectivity. The main conclusion drawn from this study was that the implementation of federated search tools has not been successful in the two academic libraries due to these challenges. The study recommends that there is need for the management to offer full support to ensure success of implementation, budgetary provision needs to be made, improve ICT infrastructure, especially the local area network and internet reliability, acquire further ICT training for staff and policies to guide implementation of federated search tools be put in place. This study will benefit librarians who intend to implement federated search tools as they will be able to understand what is required in order to successfully implement the federated search tools.