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Progress report on Kenya National Library Service Project

This report is build upon the progress report presented at the Carnegie grantees meeting on 14^th April 2002 at the Caesar’s Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. The report covers project activities undertaken from April to July 2002.

Milestone in the progress of the project was the receipt of the Funding Agreement from the Corporation. The KNLS Board has since forwarded the Agreement to the Ministry in charge of libraries for signing. Once the Agreement is signed it will be submitted to the Corporation for release of funds.

For effective Administration of the project, the KNLS Board established various project committees as outlined here under.

1. Project Advisory Committee;
2. Project Implementation and Co-ordination Committee;
3. Project Secretariat;
4. Model Library Project Implementation Sub-committees;
5. Information Technology Committee;
6. Training Committee.

• Project Director
• Assistant Project Director
• Development Officer
• Finance Officer
• Deputy Director (PS)
• Deputy Director (Adm.)

• To supervise the implementation of the project;
• To Monitor and Evaluate the project implementation;
• To advise the KNLS Board on project implementation.

Heads of the 5 model libraries

• Nairobi Area Library
• Mombasa
• Nakuru
• Kisumu
• Nyeri
• Assistant Project Director
• Head: National Library
• Head: Public Library Network Co-ordination
• Head: Collection Development and Book Distribution
• Head: Planning Research, Performance and Monitoring
• Finance Officer
• Chief Human Resource Officer
• Supplies Officer
• Public Relations Officer
• IT Manager
• Other Members
• Training Co-ordinator
• Two other librarians from the National Library Division

1. Implement and Co-ordinate project activities;
2. Prepare periodic progress reports;
3. Plan schedules of work and activities;
4. Monitor and evaluate project activities.

This will be based in each of the model libraries. Membership will comprise the Librarian In-charge and Heads of Sections. This applies to Kisumu, Mombasa, Nyeri and Nakuru. For Central/Headquarters Library, membership will comprise:

• Head: Nairobi Area Library
• Head: Collection Development and Book Distribution Division
• Head: National Library
• Heads of Sections in Central /Headquarter Library
• IT Manager

1. Plan schedules of work and activities;
2. Implement project activities;
3. Co-ordinate project activities at branch level;
4. Prepare periodic reports.

• Assistant Project Director
• Development Officer;
• Public Relations Officer;
• Support Staff:
• Accounts Clerk;
• Secretary/Administrative Assistant;
• Subordinate staff.

• Plan and schedule seminars and workshops;
• Prepare reports on the activities of the Project;
• Harmonize and preserve all documents pertaining to the project since its genesis in 1999;
• Prepare budgets for the above activities.

As part of the preparation to accommodate the project activities, the Board has approved the plan for extending the Nakuru provincial library to create more room for the children services.

The Board has formulated a draft of an implementation schedule for the project which is currently being polished.

As part of executing the above activity, the KNLS Board has undertaken the following measures:

• De-selection guidelines have been up-dated and circulated to all the branch libraries;
• Lists of weeded books have been prepared;
• Up-dating of the catalogue is on-going;
• Plans for disposal of the weeded and books are in progress

A list of books to be acquired has been prepared at model library level and submitted to Collection Book Distribution Division in preparation of purchase. The Collection Book Distribution Division is compiling a comprehensive list for books to be purchased. In compiling the selection list both local and overseas cataloguing (in both electronic and print) have been used.

The Board has acquired and distributed 7,653 books valued at 7,969,770 and distributed to the model libraries as shown below:

			Breakdown
Model Library	No. of Books	Value	IBB	Botswana	BAI
NAL	1,520	1,560,760	Adult - 642 Junior - 55	244 148	309 112
Mombasa	1,538	1,608,330	Adult - 642 Junior - 55	258 173	300 110
Nakuru	1,531	1,601,180	Adult - 642 Junior - 55	258 168	300 110
Nyeri	1,531	1,598,320	Adult - 642 Junior - 55	258 166	300 110
Kisumu	1,533	1,601,180	Adult - 642 Junior - 55	258 168	300 110

3 Staff training and development

As part of staff training and development, several KNLS staff have participated in various workshops and seminars. These include:

1. One staff facilitated a Monitoring and Evaluation workshop organized by INASP and facilitated by KNLS, Book Aid International (BAI) and Botswana National Library Services (BNLS) in May 2002.
2. One staff facilitated a workshop on lobbying and advocacy in Botswana organized by INASP and facilitated by BNLS, KNLS and BAI in June 2002.
3. 35 KNLS staff working in the children section participated in a workshop on children librarians workshop in Nairobi in April 2002. The workshop was funded by the Goethe Institute and KNLS Board and facilitated by Lioba Betten of Books for All Project.
4. 35 heads of branches and departments participated in one-day senior on HIV/AIDS information dissemination held in April 2002.
5. Six KNLS staff (heads of model libraries and the Public Relation Officer (PRO) participated in strategic communication workshop held in Tanzania in July 2002.

The Board has made preparations for other workshops/seminars for 2002 as follows:

1. Induction seminars for KNLS Board and senior staff:
1. Come-up with course content;
2. Identification facilitators;
3. Prepared tentative programmes;
4. Identified the venues.
2. Building User Profile and Stock Selection Workshops
1. The Board in scouting for facilitators both locally and overseas
3. Strategic Management Workshops
1. The workshop is co-funded by INASP and KNLS Board and is organized by KNLS Board and KLA. A meeting of the stakeholders under the auspices of KLA was held on in July to strategize on the organization of the workshop. Consultations are still going on.

1. A call for expression of interest to undertake ICT survey and Technical design on appropriate software, hardware and training was advertised in the press in June 2002. The Board received thirteen (13) responses. The Board is still consulting with other experts before awarding the tender.
2. Library Security Detection System
1. The Board has contacted 3M company who are dealers for library security detection system. 3M has drawn a plan of the installation and the device and made suggestions on appropriate measures to be undertaken before installation of the device in the five model libraries (see plan attached). The Board is currently studying the plan for necessary action.
3. Under partnership with other development partners, the Board received two (2) high powered computers and a printer from the Chinese Embassy and UNESCO.
4. The Board has undertaken trunking and wiring works for computer and telephone installation in Mombasa and Kisumu.
5. The board has identified the areas where ICT workstations will be located in the model libraries;
6. The Board has purchased at least a computer for each of the model libraries as part of the preparedness for ICT integration in the model libraries.

The Board is still consulting with various PR firms to assist in the establishment of the Development Office.

The Board has;

1. Carried out publicity in local press;
2. Produced a special edition of the project in honour of Gloria Primm    Brown, the outgoing senior programme officer with the    corporation;
3. Published a brochure on the model libraries

In finalizing the preparation for the implementation of the project the Board will undertake the following measures;

1. Continue strengthening partnership with other development    partners;
2. Recruit and re-deploy professional staff in the model libraries;
3. Strengthen publicity and marketing campaigns on project activities;
4. Lobby for continued support for the project with the Government of    Kenya;
5. Future expansion of facilities to accommodate increasing demand    and cater for diversified user needs.