Tangibility of digital institutional repository service provision to postgraduate students at universities in Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

Institutional repository services in libraries essentially determine the quality of the scholarly output of postgraduate students. Subsequently, this demands a multi-skilled workforce, facilities, and ICT infrastructure. Tangibility in this context is demonstrated when the staff in charge are decent, premises are neat, resources are easily retrievable and ICT technologies are available. Demonstration of tangibility usually heightens user attractiveness to a place. It may also be reinforced by a user experiencing satisfaction through an easily navigable institutional repository, visually attractive arrangement of the contents, and easily downloadable research materials. Nevertheless, incidences of users getting disinterested and losing patience with institutional repositories have continued to be reported. This paper assesses the tangibility of repository service provision to postgraduate students at universities in Meru County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The SERVQUAL model was also adopted to underpin the research. The sample population consisted of 91 students and 10 library heads of sections. Post-graduate students filled out questionnaires while the library heads of sections participated in the interviews. Purposive sampling was used to get librarians and simple random sampling for students. The findings of the study indicated that the tangibility of institutional repositories at universities in Meru County was moderate. To improve it, the respondents recommended the provision of policies guiding the security of information, the repository section being operational during working hours, providing a functional website as well as shelving and classification of information materials be done regularly. There was a need to acquire modern reading tables, student computers, and provision of resources in full texts, and upgrade the earlier version of the repository management system with the current one. The paper recommends the heads of libraries liaise with university management to support and finance the acquisition of new and refurbish existing facilities, technologies, infrastructure, and additional resources. It is also recommended that the directorate of research to revise the postgraduate policy to include all postgraduate levels’ research in order to achieve inclusive service provision.