Modelling E-Library Services for Public Policy and Sustainable Development in Kenya

Abstract

Practitioners and researchers have alluded to the fact that information is one of the production factors in today’s economy and development. Public policy and sustainable development achievement relies on access to accurate, credible and reliable information. Libraries play a pivotal role in the provision of this information since they are credible sources of information. This article models e-library services for public policy and sustainable development in Kenya. It was guided by the following objectives: establish the role of information in public policy and sustainable development in Kenya; examine the factors influencing public policy and sustainable development in Kenya; establish the extent to which library services influence public policy and sustainable development in Kenya; and, propose a model for e-library services for public policy and sustainable development in Kenya. A systematic literature review using the PRISMA model was adopted. Data was collected from Google Scholar and analysed using Microsoft Excel and presented using tables. The search yielded 880 articles of which 41 were relevant for the study. The findings revealed that libraries were offering various e-library services. Importantly, libraries were crucial in the provision of the much-needed information, ideas, innovation and knowledge which support public policy and sustainable development. The findings also revealed a dearth of information on e-library services. Therefore, the study proposes a model that can be used by e-libraries in the provision of information services which can effectively support public policy to spur sustainable development.