Case: Narok Library

Introduction

Narok Library opened in 2013 and is located in Narok County about 150 kilometers from Nairobi. Narok County is among the country’s well known tourist destinations since it is home to the Great Wildebeest Migration in Maasai Mara Game Reserve. The library is located very near Narok, a transit town along the busy Narok-Sotik-Kisii highway. Narok Library is the first public library in Maasailand and is so far one of the largest government projects within the county. Aside from Narok town the region mainly consists of natural resorts thus Narok Library plays an important role in informing and bringing together the community.   

Interplay with the local community

The population of Narok County consists mainly of pastoralists known as maasais, and the library is open to all including these herdsmen who at times come along with their flocks of cows and goats to read as they look after their herds. The library is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to give technical advice on livestock farming to help the maasai people.  
Also, the library is close to the county stadium and other neighboring facilities include a primary and secondary school. Furthermore numerous schools, colleges, universities and other learning institutions benefit from the library’s collection and activities. The extra services provided to the users like reprographic services, internet browsing and digital offers ensure that the users have access to not only a library but a multifunctional center.

Numerous functions under one roof

The library has a butterfly layout that fits the sloping landscape. The building comprises of an upper and lower ground floor. The lower ground floor has special reading cubicles, a culture corner, an open reading area for adults, shelving areas and a reference section. The upper ground floor comprises of the children’s reading, storytelling and shelving areas, a multipurpose hall, workrooms, lounge, offices, kitchen, service counter, ICT center and a restaurant.
Narok Library has a collection of 16,000 books which serves both adults and children. The collection includes sets of books that are approved by the Ministry of Education in Kenya both for primary and secondary syllabus. In addition the library provides journals, magazines, newspapers and audio and audiovisual materials. The materials are placed in racks next to the reading spaces making them easily accessible.

Digital learning and ICT competences

Digital solutions play an important role in the library’s services. An ICT center is integrated in the library equipped with computers and internet connectivity. This provides access to vast information on economic and social aspects as well as other online services relating to the community. The users can access information on websites as well as the online materials available through library portals including HINARI for health matters, scholarly e-books and e-journals subscribed through Kenya Libraries and Information Services Consortium (KLISC) and National Farmers Information Service (NAFIS) for farmers.
The users have access to an OPAC online catalogue via the library’s website and the library provides wireless access points that enable users to bring their own mobile devices to access online materials. Also, online IT training through the Microsoft IT Academy is provided thus encouraging users to enroll in digital literacy training as well as Microsoft office courses. The main purpose is to promote digital competences among the community by increasing their capacity to use and engage in the digital environment and to increase youth employment in ICT related careers.