HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF RONGO UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LIBRARY
Rongo University College Library (old library) was the first library that served Rongo University College (RUC) which was set up in the year 2012 as Moi Institute of Technology (MIT) was transiting to Rongo University College.
It had a total seating capacity of 50 users and had inherited some information resources from the then Moi Institute of Technology (MIT). The library began with only I librarian and 3 library attendants in 2012 but, but since then the number has been growing at a fast rate.
The library was using the Dewey Decimal Scheme as the method of classifying its information resources. There was no digital system in the library by then. All the library services were conducted through the manual system.
The library had a stock of 2000 books.
In the year 2015, Rongo University College library was moved to a new building with a bigger space.
On 7th October, 2016 having been in operation for four years as a constituent college of Moi University, H.E president Uhuru Kenyatta signed the charter elevating Rongo University College into a full-fledged public University. This shifted the library from the Rongo University College to Rongo University (RU) library.
The library had a sitting capacity of 300 users and an estimate population of 6000 students both government and self-sponsored and the volume of their collection had also increase to 22000 books. The library change from Dewey Decimal Scheme (DDC) to Library of Congress (LOC).
The library adopted an Integrated Library System (ILS)-KOHA thereby automating most of its operations I.e. User services, Library online catalogue, report generation and other services.
The library services were divided into three namely:
- User Services
- Technical Services
- ICT (Digital Library Section) both undergraduate and post graduate
The library section introduced some new services i.e. research support and E- resources where the university subscribes to various online databases.
The library is growing at fast rate, the library resources are increasing and the staff to have increased to 20 staff since the establishment of the Rongo University library.
The university management has plans to move the library to a bigger modern library. The library is in the process of construction and is estimated to be completed in two years’ time (2021)
It is estimated to contain a seating capacity of 4000 users and to be a fully automated modern library.
Here is the architectural impression of the modern library under construction.
