Covid- 19 Pandemic and The Role of Kenyan University Libraries in Online Education
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Date
2022-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
Abstract
The Government of Kenya gave a directive for
closure of all learning institutions in Kenya when the first
case of Covid-19 was reported in March 2020. The
education sector suffered a great deal as no institution was
prepared for the closure. Teaching and learning were
disrupted and all students were forced to go home. With
the desire of continue with learning, a good number of
institutions of higher learning decided to conduct learning
online. Nearly all services were provided online including
library services. Librarians were forced to use various
online platforms to provide library services to patrons.
This research sought to determine the roles played by
academic libraries in support of online university
education during Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya. This
study employed cross sectional survey research design.
The target population of the study comprised of ten (10),
purposefully selected heads of academic libraries in
Kenya. A censuses method was conducted whereby all
(10) heads of academic libraries in Kenya participated in
the study. Online Questionnaires were launched via
google forms and emailed to respondents. The study
employed both descriptive and inferential statistics.
Pearson correlation coefficient and simple linear
regression analysis was conducted at significant level of α
= 0.05. Data analysis was done with the aid of Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. The study
revealed a strong statistically significant positive
relationship (r = 0.899, p < 0.05) between roles played by
academic libraries and online university education during
Covid-19 pandemic. The results of linear regression
further established that roles played by academic
libraries were robust significant (β = 0.673, p < 0.05)
determinants of online university education during
Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya. The study recommends
that further research to be done on comparative effect of
roles played by academic libraries in support of online
university education in private and public universities
during Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya.