Education

Bachelor of Library and Information Studies

The Bachelor of Library and Information Studies is a four-year programme that prepares students for professional careers in information management, library services, archives, and knowledge organisation. Offered at Kenyatta University and other Kenyan institutions, the programme addresses the growing need for information professionals in the digital age.

Students develop competencies in information organisation, cataloguing and classification, digital librarianship, records management, information retrieval systems, and knowledge management. They learn to manage both physical and digital information resources, apply ICT tools in library services, and design information systems that meet user needs.

Kenya's information sector is evolving rapidly with the digitisation of libraries, growth of digital repositories, and increasing demand for records management in government and corporate sectors. Public libraries, university libraries, county government archives, and private organisations require qualified information professionals to manage their information resources.

Teaching is delivered through lectures, computer laboratory practicals, library attachment, and project work. Students engage with library management software, digital repositories, cataloguing tools, and participate in industrial attachment at libraries and information centres.

Graduates pursue careers as librarians, information managers, records managers, archivists, knowledge managers, and information consultants in academic institutions, government departments, corporate organisations, NGOs, and cultural heritage institutions.

This programme is ideal for students with strong organisational skills and interest in information technology who enjoy managing knowledge resources. It suits detail-oriented individuals who wish to bridge the gap between information availability and user access in Kenya's knowledge economy.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 255,000
Private, up to: Ksh 111,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Information Organisation and Cataloguing
Digital Librarianship and Repositories
Records Management and Archives
Information Retrieval Systems
Library Management and Administration
Knowledge Management
Information and Communication Technologies
Collection Development and Management
Research Methods in Information Science
Bibliographic Control and Metadata

Modules

12 in the programme

Foundations of Library and Information Science
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Historical development, core concepts, and ethical principles of the library and information profession
Information Organisation and Cataloguing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Principles of cataloguing, classification schemes (DDC, LCC), and metadata standards
Information and Communication Technologies
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Computer applications in libraries, library management systems, and digital tools for information services
Collection Development and Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Principles of selecting, acquiring, and managing library collections to meet user needs
Records Management and Archives
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Records lifecycle management, archival appraisal, and preservation of documentary heritage
Information Retrieval Systems
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Design and evaluation of information retrieval systems, search strategies, and database querying
Digital Librarianship and Repositories
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Digital library technologies, institutional repositories, and digital preservation strategies
Library Management and Administration
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Management principles applied to library operations, budgeting, human resources, and strategic planning
Knowledge Management
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Knowledge creation, sharing, and application in organisations, including tacit and explicit knowledge management
Research Methods in Information Science
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Quantitative and qualitative research methods for conducting studies in information science
Research Project
Year 4Semester 23 creditsCore
Independent research on a library and information science topic, culminating in a written dissertation
Industrial Attachment
Year 4Semester 36 creditsCore
Supervised placement in a library, archive, or information centre for practical experience

Specialisations

Knowledge Management
Specialization in Knowledge Management, preparing graduates for careers such as law-firm-knowledge-manager.
Records and Archives Management
Specialization in Records and Archives Management, preparing graduates for careers such as records-manager.
Digital Archives and Preservation
Specialization in Digital Archives and Preservation, preparing graduates for careers such as digital-archivist.
Archival Studies
Specialization in Archival Studies, preparing graduates for careers such as junior-archivist. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Academic and School Librarianship
Specialization in Academic and School Librarianship, preparing graduates for careers such as school-librarian.
Public Libraries
Specialization in Public Libraries, preparing graduates for careers such as records-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Information Literacy
Specialization in Information Literacy, preparing graduates for careers such as records-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Academic Libraries
Specialization in Academic Libraries, preparing graduates for careers such as records-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Digital Libraries
Specialization in Digital Libraries, preparing graduates for careers such as records-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Archives and Records
Specialization in Archives and Records, preparing graduates for careers such as records-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day combines morning lectures on information organisation or knowledge management with afternoon computer laboratory sessions. Students may catalogue digital resources, design database queries, manage library software systems, or participate in attachment activities at the university library.

The trade offs

In its favour

Digital transformation creates new opportunities in data management and digital archives
Diverse career paths in education, government, corporate, and cultural heritage sectors
Diverse career paths in libraries and information centres

Against it

Traditional library positions may have limited career progression without additional qualifications
Some roles may be perceived as less dynamic
Some positions may have limited career growth
May require additional IT certifications
Some roles may have modest salaries

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 243 education courses

Public204k to 255k

204k at Kenyatta University255k at University of Nairobi

Private111k to 111k

111k at Mount Kenya University111k at Mount Kenya University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU Lib & Info Sci 204K; UoN Info Sci 255K/yr (KUCCPS). MKU Info Sci 111K/yr (mku.ac.ke).

Students may access HELB loans and county bursaries. Some libraries and information institutions offer attachment opportunities during industrial placement.

Funding options

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
LoanKsh 60,000
National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)
Bursary
County Government Bursaries
Bursary

Scholarships

3 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
BursaryKenyan
Kenyan undergraduate students placed by KUCCPS in public universities

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

English/Kiswahili
C+
Mathematics/Computer Studies
C
Any Group II or III subject
C+
Any Group IV or V subject
C+

How you are assessed

5 components

Practical Assignments and Projects
Coursework25% of the mark
Research Project
Coursework100% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)
Coursework25% of the mark
Final Examination
Coursework40% of the mark
Industrial Attachment Report
Coursework10% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Professional membership with the Kenya Library Association (KLA) is available for practising librarians.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
InstitutionalRequired

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

8 roles

School / Academic Librarian
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 95,000
Manages library services in schools and universities, including collection development, user services, and information literacy programmes
Digital Archivist
High demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 120,000
Manages digital collections, implements digital preservation strategies, and develops online archival access systems
Library and Information Scientist
Moderate demandKsh 48,000 to Ksh 100,000
Designs and manages information systems, develops digital repositories, and provides information services
Records Manager (Corporate Archives)
High demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 110,000
Manages corporate records systems, ensures compliance with records retention policies, and oversees archival documentation
Junior Archivist
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 90,000
Appraises, arranges, describes, and preserves archival materials in government and cultural institutions
Information Literacy Coordinator
Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 180,000
Coordinates information literacy programmes
Librarian
Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 180,000
Manages library operations and services
Archivist
Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 180,000
Manages archives and historical records

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as librarians, information managers, records managers, archivists, and knowledge managers in academic institutions, government departments, and corporate organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Microsoft Excel
SoftwarePrimary
Spreadsheet for educational data management, extension planning and IT project tracking.
PowerPoint
SoftwarePrimary
Presentation tool for teaching, farmer training and extension education sessions.
SPSS
Software
Statistical analysis software for educational and extension research.
Google Classroom
Software
Learning management system for agricultural education and online teaching.
KoboToolbox
Software
Mobile data collection tool for field surveys and extension needs assessment.
Library Management Systems (Koha, Evergreen)
SoftwarePrimary
Open-source integrated library systems for cataloguing, circulation, and OPAC
Microsoft Office Suite
SoftwarePrimary
Essential for record keeping, correspondence, and report generation
Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)
Classification systemPrimary
Standard library classification system used for organising print collections
Dspace / EPrints
Software
Institutional repository software for digital collections and scholarly publications

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Library studies is about shelving books
The programme covers digital information systems, knowledge management, data curation, and ICT applications, preparing graduates for technology-driven information roles.
Libraries are becoming obsolete in the digital age
Libraries are evolving into digital knowledge centres, creating new roles for information professionals in digital repositories, data management, and online service delivery.
Library studies graduates can only work in libraries
Graduates work in records management, archives, corporate knowledge management, legal information services, research data management, and ICT departments.
There are no jobs in library and information science in Kenya
County governments, universities, corporate organisations, and government ministries require qualified information professionals for records management and digital information services.