KNLS champions digital transformation for learners

Director General of KNLS Dr Charles Nzivo (Centre) shares light moments with attendees at the 26th Nairobi International Book fair. [Courtesy, KNLS]

The Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) has reaffirmed its commitment to shaping Kenya’s knowledge and information landscape in learners across the country.

KNLS Director General Charles Nzivo, while speaking during the 26th Nairobi International Book Fair (NIBF), said the institution has established a wide range of innovative library and digital services that are transforming how Kenyans access and interact with information.

He pointed out the importance of libraries in driving literacy, innovation, and national development.

“This annual gathering is not just a marketplace for books; it is a celebration of knowledge, creativity, and culture,” Nzivo said.

“It reminds us of the critical role each of us plays in shaping readers and, ultimately, shaping the future.”

From digitisation solutions and the Virtual Library to ISBN registration, data centre, and legal deposit services, the institution demonstrated its commitment to bridging the gap between traditional and digital knowledge systems.

This comes at a time when students are breaking for 11 weeks in the Christmas holiday, making it essential for their learning.

Nzivo emphasised that KNLS’s growing digital footprint aligns with Kenya’s transformation agenda, ensuring equitable access to information for learners, researchers, and readers across the country.

“Our goal is to make sure that whether you are in Lamu, Lodwar, or Nairobi, you can access the same wealth of knowledge through both physical and digital platforms,” he said.

Organised by the Kenya Publishers Association, the fair served as the largest regional platform for a literary exchange hub where authors, publishers, libraries, and readers converged to celebrate the written word and the evolving face of knowledge.

KNLS showcased a range of innovative library and digital services designed to bridge traditional and modern access to information.

Students explored digitisation solutions, Virtual Library, ISBN registration services, and information on legal deposit requirements at the KNLS stand.

“Our presence at this fair is about more than showcasing services. It is about reaffirming our commitment to literacy, innovation, and the preservation of Kenya’s intellectual heritage,” said Nzivo.

He emphasized that reading remains central to national growth and creativity.

“This annual gathering is not just a marketplace for books; it is a celebration of knowledge, creativity, and culture. It is also a reminder of the role each of us plays in shaping readers and, ultimately, shaping the future,” he said.

KNLS recently launched a digital initiative, the National Union Catalogue, popularly known as WebCat, which aims to connect Kenya’s diverse library systems through a single online platform.

“This marks a transformative moment for the country’s library and information services sector,” said Nzivo. “WebCat is more than just a tool; it is a national knowledge infrastructure that connects learners, researchers, and readers with the information they need, wherever they are.”

Currently, most libraries in Kenya operate independently, using varying cataloguing systems—a setup that often complicates information retrieval for users.

WebCat seeks to solve this by creating a centralized and interoperable virtual union catalogue, essentially a one-stop digital access point for library resources nationwide.

Nzivo said the project will deliver multiple outcomes, including the creation of a national bibliographic standards manual and a unified online portal linking all participating libraries.