Members of Parliament have called for increased Government support for university libraries and research institutions, warning that rising subscription costs for academic journals and digital databases are limiting access to essential scholarly information.
Members of Parliament have called on the Government to increase funding for university libraries and research institutions, warning that the rising cost of accessing academic journals and digital research materials is threatening the quality of learning and research.
The lawmakers said universities and other institutions were struggling to meet subscription costs for electronic journals, research databases and other scholarly publications, most of which are priced in foreign currencies.
They argued that without additional Government support, students, lecturers and researchers risk being denied access to essential academic resources.
The concerns emerged during the sixth Kenya Libraries and Information Services Consortium (KLISC) International Conference in Mombasa, where legislators urged the Government to recognise access to scholarly information as a critical component of national development.
Turkana West MP Daniel Nanok, who chairs the Parliamentary Broadcasting and Library Committee, said reliable information was essential in strengthening education, research and evidence-based decision-making in public institutions.
Nanok noted that KLISC had helped universities, colleges and research institutions overcome financial constraints by pooling resources to negotiate access to electronic publications and research databases.
However, he warned that the increasing cost of subscriptions continued to put pressure on institutional budgets.
MPs propose Government support for journal subscriptions
He pledged to engage the Ministry of Education and other relevant Government agencies on a proposal to have the Government partially finance shared subscriptions negotiated through the consortium.
Nanok urged KLISC's governing board to formally present the proposal to his committee and the National Assembly, saying the benefits of affordable access to scholarly information extended beyond individual institutions.
He also called for stronger measures to preserve Kenya's intellectual heritage, particularly as publishing and information management increasingly shift to digital platforms.
The MP cited the Books and Newspapers (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which he sponsored, saying it seeks to modernise the country's legal deposit system by providing for the preservation of published works in both physical and electronic formats.
The proposed legislation would also allow the Parliament of Kenya Library to become an additional repository for the country's literary and intellectual heritage.
Libraries urged to balance technology and user needs
KLISC Chairman Prof Arnold Mwanza cautioned that libraries should not focus entirely on technological advancement at the expense of the people they serve.
He said innovation should go hand in hand with improving the experience of library users and ensuring information remains accessible.
MP Samuel Gachobe also challenged Parliament to prioritise adequate budgetary allocations for libraries, arguing that the institutions remained important centres of knowledge despite changes in technology.
The conference, held under the theme "Innovate to Elevate: Collective Solutions for Sustainable Libraries", brought together librarians, university representatives, information professionals and other delegates from across East Africa and beyond to explore ways of improving access to knowledge and sustaining library services.
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