The problems of library co-operation in kenya

Abstract

This article opens with an examination of the information system in Kenya and goes on to highlight the lack of formal co-operative agreements in the country's library system. An obstacle to resource sharing is the desire of many libraries to maintain the independence of their own collections. The resulting duplication can be seen as a waste of already-scarce resources. The costs of interlending also militate against co-operation, which is made even more difficult by physical problems such as distance and the scarcity of reprographic facilities. The demise of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute's co-operative scheme is regretted, and the author suggests that consideration needs to be given to a new scheme to enable Kenyan libraries to maximize their coverage by sharing their resources.