Abstract

Public libraries exist to meet the information needs of all members of the society. Governments invest public resources in library services implying that each citizen is entitled to quality access to adequate information. Unfortunately, there are sections of the society that are systemically and by default excluded from public libraries. Young people and children with various forms of disability are often left behind because the available facilities and information access tools are not user-friendly. The author is inspired by EIFL-PLIP project entitled ‘Promoting inclusive education through the training children with special needs “aimed at improving the lives of information-deprived communities and groups in Meru County. Modern library practitioners, aware of the need to reach this critical group of citizens, must device responsive and practicable strategies to reverse this trend. This study purposes to analyze information communication technology tools for promoting information access for disadvantaged young people, as practiced at the Kenya National Library Services (KNLS) Library, Meru. The study targeted children with autism, children with dyslexia, children with hearing disability, girls from poor community and secondary school students. Data was collected from 50 library users, drawn equally from each of the categories of targeted library users. Data was collected using focus group discussions and questionnaires depending on the type of disadvantage the respondents were facing. The study established that the library was using, e-readers, cyber-café, Wi-Fi, book donations and tailor-made ICT tools for young disadvantaged people. Further, it was established that ICT tools benefited the target community to a large extent. Moreover, disadvantaged young people were constrained by lack of or poor digital skills and inadequate ICT equipment when accessing information at KNLS library, Meru. The study recommended that learning institutions and public libraries should introduce digital skills training for disadvantaged young people and increase the number of tailor-made ICT tools to increase access to information.

Keywords: Information Communication Technology, disadvantaged, young people, information access

Biography

I have a master’s degree in economics and cooperation bundelkand university India and also hold a post graduate diploma in library science. I am the librarian in charge of Kenya national library service meru with a working experience of 25 years.

We recently concluded an Electronic information for libraries-public libraries innovation funded program project titled “PROMOTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION THROUGH THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS” where we trained 16 teachers and 165 special needs children from 4 special needs schools in meru county on use of ICT tools such as tablets and e-readers preloaded with Kenya‘s primary school curriculum. The outreach program was a success and the special needs children can now navigate the devices and have improved their communication skills and self-confidence. This has seen the formation of a special needs parents club who have supported the staff by facilitating them to continue with the programs to the schools and formed a special needs resource center in the library.