MMUST Avails Practical Library Science Experience to Diploma and Technical Students
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), through its Library and Information Services section, recently provided a transformative learning opportunity to over 50 students from St. Paul’s Kibabii Diploma College and Rift Valley Technical Training Institute. The one-day hands-on training, held on 20th June 2025, aimed to bridge the gap between theory and practice in Library and Information Science.
The session immersed students in real-world library operations, including online cataloguing, document binding, bibliographic services, and access to MMUST’s cutting-edge digital repositories. The training provided insights into the modern university library functions across multiple specialized departments.
The students were guided through five key departments: the Technical Services Department, which handles book acquisition, classification, and processing before shelving; the Readers and Lending Services unit, which manages borrowing, reservation, user support, and awareness services; the Reprographic and Binding Unit, which focuses on restoring worn materials and preserving the physical collection; the Systems and E‑Resources Unit, which oversees the Integrated Library System and access to E-maktaba (e-maktaba.mmust.ac.ke), MMUST’s digital repository for Theses and Publications.
A section of the students following the training presentations.
“We have the virtual and systems e-library, which is responsible for the Integrated Library System. This is a digital repository that hosts all the theses and publications done by associates of the university. One can access these materials through e-maktaba.mmust.ac.ke,” said Jacob Musisi, Senior Library Assistant-MMUST.
The interactive tour allowed students to learn how library workflows from acquisition to public lending and how they are professionally managed to support academic excellence.
“We came to introduce our students to what library doors can offer and to understand what they should do in their day-to-day academic activities. We may not have such facilities back at our college, but having been here, the students are now able to appreciate the operations of various departments and their respective functions,” said Mr. Erick Watima, Deputy Registrar at St.Paul’s Kibabii Diploma College.
Mr. Erick Watima, Deputy Registrar at St.Paul’s Kibabii Diploma College speaks during the training.
“I am excited, and my expectation to see such infrastructure at MMUST really impressed me. I have learnt a lot as an Information Technologist and feel more equipped with the required skills, having been at MMUST,” said Marion Wainoga, a student from Rift Valley Technical Training Institute.
The event reaffirmed MMUST’s commitment to academic collaboration and capacity building with mid-level institutions, further cementing its role as a hub for practical, industry-aligned education in Library and Information Science.
By Norah Nafula, Elipha Malaba and Ronny Obuolo
Photos by Ronny Obuolo
