Potential Challenges of developing a national digital research repository

Abstract

The need for a national digital research repository in Kenya has been articulated in many librarians’ forums for years. Despite the talk, not much had been done to develop the system. It would be helpful therefore to identify potential challenges towards development of a national digital repository system in Kenya This study therefore entailed determining potential obstacles to the implementation of a Kenya National Digital Research Repository system (KNDRRS). This study used mixed methodology of collecting and analyzing data from sample of 111 Institutional repository administrators in Kenya Library and Information Services Consortium member libraries (KLISC), 9 KLISC officials 7 Kenya Information Preservation Society (KIPS) committee members and the documentalist at the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). The findings revealed 23 thematic grouping of challenges foreseen by librarians that may stand on the way of implementation of a KNDRRS among them finances, Infrastructural related challenges like inadequate, poor state and maintenance of information and communication technology infrastructure, unreliable internet accessibility, lack of computers, and lack of information management systems to organize digital resources. Other highlighted potential bottlenecks related to legal and engagement and participation, engagement and participation, research output content related challenges. Others were personnel related challenges, organizational challenges and administrative related challenges. Keywords: National Repository, Research Sharing, Kenya, Challenges, Research Stakeholders, Institutional Repositories.