Analyzing the Use of Mobile Phone Technology in Access and Utilization of Library Resources in Mount Kenya University, Kisii Campus

Tremendous advancements attained in the last one decade in computer and mobile phone technologies have completely changed patrons' information seeking behavior and left librarians and information professionals rethinking about ways of re-engineering library resources to foster their utility. Libraries and information centres have invested heavily on holding library resources and services from different disciplines in a frantic move to address users' needs but limited readership is still recorded. In this paper, the researcher delved into analyzing the use of mobile phone technology in access and utilization of library resources and services as a way of re-engineering library holdings to promote their (library resources and services) consumption. The targeted population was Mount Kenya University Kisii campus library users. A cross sectional survey research design aimed at identifying library users' perception on the use of mobile phone technology was used. Stratified sampling was used to identify the students-respondents and purposive sampling used to select the library staff. While questionnaires were placed to collect the data from students, library staff respondents were interviewed. The study sample comprised four hundred (445) library users and staff out of a population of three thousand five hundred and twenty eight (1467). Once the data collection is complete, quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, distributions in percentages and frequency counts. Qualitative data was recorded from field data, transcribed and reported in themes and sub themes. The study showed among other findings, that there are increased retrieval and use of library resources and services through the use mobile phone technology in Mount Kenya University Kisii Campus.