Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to highlight pertinent issues relating to digital access and the development of digital reading culture in Africa. This study established the appropriate strategies of promoting digital reading culture in African libraries and also the roles that libraries use in promoting the adoption of digital reading culture amidst various challenges and obstacles.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper examined an extensive empirical and theoretical literature review. A thorough analysis of the literature was done, focusing on combining empirical studies and theoretical ones, to bring out the importance of the reading process and how it can be adapted to digital context to overcome the access issues in the digital environment.
Findings
The findings indicated the advantages of digital reading in the present era. Additionally, the results pointed out the challenges faced in developing countries in Africa when promoting a digital reading culture and proposed the important role of librarians in helping the population through digital literacy.
Originality/value
This paper provides significant approaches on promoting digital reading in developing countries. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to review the literature from different aspects and perspectives on this topic in the context of developing countries in Africa.
Purpose
Due to globalization, digitization and advanced technology, academic libraries are experiencing a tremendous change in their role and operations. The purpose of this study is to critically examine and establish the emerging trends of academic libraries in Kenya; this study also highlights some of the critical roles of the academic libraries in relation to the emerging trends.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted the literature review method to critically analyse and establish the various roles and emerging trends and issues in academic libraries in Kenya.
Findings
This study established that change is inevitable and that academic libraries are supposed to adapt to the emerging trending trends and roles, lest their function and service become redundant. Due to the fact that library users’ information needs and information-seeking behaviour are changing, academic libraries are supposed to devise new and innovative ways of reaching out to their clients.
Originality/value
This study has been able to comprehensively create a new viewpoint of the role and emerging trends of academic libraries in Kenya in regards to the changing and advancement of new technology.
This chapter highlights the challenges and opportunities that have and will arise as a result of the epidemic. When the spread of CoronaVirus 2019 (COVID-19) was announced by the World Health Organization (WHO), most schools, colleges, and tertiary institutes around the world were ordered to close so as to contain the spread. Currently, most learning institutions are experiencing challenges related to how to provide critical services; the most critical ones are linked to the library services. With the COVID-19 pandemic still in place, it is evident that libraries will greatly be affected in their service delivery. This chapter, therefore, brings into perspective the eminent changing roles of libraries and the challenges and opportunities that did and will emerge as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides different library case studies and how the COVID-19 pandemic is being handled in Kenya, Morocco, and Hungary. The chapter puts into perspective new insights that will enable libraries to adapt quickly to the new technologies substituting the obsolete and redundant ones.
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