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The purpose of this research is to look at the state, adoption and use of ICTs by students and academic staff at Mzuzu University.

The research used a survey method whose study population included students, academic and library staff. Data for the study were collected using an interview guide and questionnaires.

The research found out the state of ICTs at Mzuzu University was poor. In spite of this, adoption and use of ICTs was high. ICTs were mainly used for academic‐related word processing tasks, including internet access. However, most of the respondents used personal laptop computers connected to an MTL/TNM/AIRTEL dongle, a personal GSM phone, or commercial internet cybercafés off campus to access the internet. The university network was not used much. Obstacles to the adoption and use of ICTs included poor network infrastructure, the limited number of computers, the high cost of internet access, persistent power outages, and the lack of relevant ICT skills, among others.

The study did not involve postgraduate students because many of them pursue their studies by research, and hence they could have been difficult to contact. Adjunct academic members of staff were also excluded because of anticipated accessibility challenges. The findings of this study, therefore, may not necessarily apply to these groups.

The paper makes some recommendations, which, if acted upon by Mzuzu University management, would help improve the state of ICTs at the institution.

Malawi is a country that has generally lagged behind other countries in terms of ICT adoption and use. However, the magnitude of the problem, especially in institutions of higher learning, is relatively unknown owing to the lack of research undertakings in the field. This paper is therefore valuable because it gives a clear picture of the situation on the ground, and also suggests ways of how the problems faced could be solved.

The aim of this paper is to determine the impact of the global economic crisis on University of Malawi Libraries and Mzuzu University Library.

A case study methodology was adopted, and data were collected using both interview guides and questionnaires.

Findings show that libraries in this study were not affected much by the global economic crisis. Budgets of the libraries had registered steady increments, and this had positively impacted on collection development activities, staff recruitment and training, infrastructure development, and internal and external travels etc. Effects of the economic crisis, though minor, were evident by the stagnation of some college budgets and absence of scholarships for training abroad.

The study covered four of the five libraries in the University of Malawi namely the Polytechnic, College of Medicine, Bunda College, Kamuzu College of Nursing and Mzuzu University. Chancellor College Library did not participate because the researcher faced challenges in getting permission from authorities. So much as the results do give a general picture of libraries under the University of Malawi, the findings may not necessarily apply to Chancellor College Library.

In light of the findings, libraries were encouraged to strengthen existing income generating activities, and also explore other ways of generating revenue to cover for shortfalls in the budget that may be prompted by withdrawal of donor funds and cuts in government subvention should the global economic crisis persist.

This study investigated the use of WhatsApp as the platform for providing services at Mzuzu University Library in Malawi.

The researchers conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with five librarians that were either working or had worked at the reference desk for a period of not less than six months. Furthermore, the researchers did a content analysis of WhatsApp posts from the two tablet computers deployed at the reference desk. Qualitative data were analysed thematically, while the quantitative data were analysed using scientific calculators.

Findings revealed that WhatsApp has successfully been used to provide a number of user and reference services to students and staff. Notwithstanding this, a number of technical, human resource and service-related factors were discovered to be affecting the delivery of services and hence need to be addressed. It is therefore recommended that library management should take steps to address these challenges to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.

WhatsApp is one of the most popular social media applications that is deployed by many people including organisations at minimal cost in many countries. This makes it an ideal platform for offering information services to library clients on campus and remote places around the clock. Consequently, this could lead to increased usage of resources and services resulting in greater satisfaction among users.

Studies focussing on the use of WhatsApp for academic purposes in Malawi abound in the literature. However, this is the first study focussing on the use of WhatsApp for providing library reference services to be undertaken not only at Mzuzu University Library but the entire academic library sector in Malawi.

Proliferation of digital devices amongst patrons implies that libraries are faced with the challenge of providing conducive study spaces to patrons. This study, therefore, aims to establish the effect of digital devices on noise levels in the Mzuzu University Library and measures that have been taken to curb it.

The study was anchored by the technology advancement model. The mixed methodological design was used and involved use of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of 110 students, whilst an interview was conducted with one librarian responsible for managing service. SPSS was used to analyse quantitative data, whilst qualitative data was presented by following order of the themes.

The findings revealed that students owned a number of digital devices that included smartphones, laptops and augmented reality/virtual reality headsets which they deployed for a variety of uses. The findings further indicated that use of digital devices in the library has resulted in an upsurge in noise levels. Measures taken by students and library staff to tackle the problem have had limited success.

The prevalence of mobile digital devices has resulted in high levels of noise in academic libraries. However, this has not diminished users’ desire for a quiet study place. This paper, therefore, offers some insights of how libraries can combat the problem of noise to ensure that libraries remain attract to all groups of users.

Besides transforming the way people do business and interact with others, digital devices have also negatively impacted people and society in the form of increased road traffic accidents due to misuse. Promoting responsible use of digital devices in the library may have spill-over effects, in that library patrons may become more disciplined in their usage of the digital devices elsewhere, thereby help eradicate the ills that have come about due to their wanton use.

Some studies that have been done have pointed to a high prevalence rate of digital devices at Mzuzu University. However, none of them has investigated the impact the existing digital devices have had on noise levels in the library. This study is one of the first studies to be done on the topic not only at Mzuzu University but also academic libraries in Malawi. It is further hoped that action taken based on the recommendations made would lead to reduced noise levels in the library that will lead to creation of a conducive place for study.

This study aims to investigate the management of electronic records (e-records) in public universities in Malawi.

This study adopted a case study research design that made use of predominantly qualitative research methods. Data was collected at three study sites, namely, Mzuzu University, Malawi University of Science and Technology and the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences. A purposive sample of three officers per institution (and nine in total) comprising executive officers, deputy university registrar, records clerk, information and communication technology (ICT) directors and ICT manager was attained. The researcher personally conducted the interviews with the research subjects with the aid of interview guides. Observations were also done, whose findings were recorded in the observation protocols. The data collected was transcribed in MS Word, coded and analysed thematically.

This study concluded that e-records are at high risk in public universities in Malawi. Irrespective of this situation, this study found that there were some areas for e-records to potentially thrive in public universities in Malawi.

This study covers three of the six public universities in Malawi. Although public universities in Malawi have similar governance structures, there are some noticeable differences that distinguish one institution from the other. It is, therefore, possible that findings made in this study may not completely represent the prevailing situation in all public universities.

Studies of this nature have not been done before in public universities in Malawi. It is, therefore, hoped that besides filling the existing knowledge gap, its findings will contribute to policy and practical interventions that will lead to efficiency of the universities involved.

The purpose of this paper is to study the use of Koha integrated library system by higher education institutions in Malawi.

The study made use of the diffusion of innovation theory as an anchoring model. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire that was administered to library managers of higher education institutions registered with the National Council for Higher Education in Malawi. The data collected were analyzed using SPPS version 21 to generate descriptive statistics.

The findings revealed that 84.2 per cent of libraries in higher education institutions in Malawi are automated, and 81.3 per cent of them are using Koha ILS and the rest were using proprietary and other open source software. Cost and technical aspects have been discovered to be the primary factors that have assisted in the rapid diffusion of Koha. The study also exposed some factors that negatively impacted the use of Koha in the adopting institutions. The main ones included lack of information and communication technology infrastructure, unreliable Internet connectivity and limited finances.

Previously, some small-scale case studies have been performed to examine implementation of Koha in some higher education institutions in Malawi. However, this is the first large-scale attempt to investigate use of Koha among higher education institutions in the country. Findings that have shown that Koha can be installed easily and used at minimal cost could assist in its rapid adoption in the higher education institutions, a majority of whom face a myriad of financial challenges.

The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of a study that was conducted to find out the employment prospects of Mzuzu University (Mzuni) library and information science (LIS) graduates.

The study made use of a survey designehil it was mainly quantitative in nature. A census of all LIS graduates from 2006 to 2013 was taken. The study also purposely sampled some major employers of LIS graduates. Self completion questionnaires were administered to both study groups by the researcher personally, and also through emails. Data were collected between September and October 2013, and SPSS was used to analyse the data. Findings from the two questionnaires were discussed in relation to prevailing literature in the field.

The study established that there are few job opportunities for LIS graduates in the library sector. This came about because libraries have not taken deliberate steps to recruit LIS graduates while opportunities in the private sector were limited. Consequently, some LIS graduates were unemployed, while the majority had taken up alternative jobs. Nevertheless, LIS graduates had the requisite skills and attributes required for the job. Absence of a career structure for LIS professionals in the public sector, failure to recognise role of librarians and LIS qualifications and lack of training opportunities were some of the challenges which LIS graduates faced.

The study covers all LIS graduates who graduated from Mzuni between 2006 and 2013. However, lack of updated contact information means that the researcher had challenges to reach out to most of the graduates save for those working in the major libraries. Furthermore, a good number of the graduates did not respond to the questionnaire sent, particularly those who graduated from the generic programme. This led to a lower than anticipated response rate. This implies that some of the study findings may have some bias towards the LIS graduates in the mature group.

The research findings have a big bearing on policy formulation and decision making in government, the public and private sector players, professional associations and LIS training institutions.

No formal studies have been done to determine the employment prospects for Mzuni LIS graduates ever since the diploma and degree programmes were launched. This research is, therefore, the first of its kind, and could help shape the future of the programmes in terms of curriculum content and methods of delivery. Recommendations made could also help the Malawi Library Association, the Mzuni’s Department of Library and Information Science, and relevant government ministries and departments to come up with appropriate interventions to the challenges being faced.

This study aims to investigate records management practices in Malawian private universities with a focus on University of Livingstonia.

The study used embedded case study design using a mixed methods approach. A survey questionnaire, semi-structured interview guide and a document review were used to collect data from University of Livingstonia staff.

The study found that University of Livingstonia created records such as minutes, grades, mails, theses, policy documents and reports. Some of the challenges related to records management at the institution were uncoordinated records management practices due to, among others, lack of records management policy, retention and disposal schedules among others. It further reported a number of factors frustrating the success of records management practices at UNILIA such as lack of management support, poor funding and lack of information communication technology infrastructure. Nevertheless, the study acknowledged the role of records management at University of Livingstonia.

Previous studies on records management in Malawi focused on public sector. However, this is a novel study undertaken in the private higher education. Therefore, it forms a basis for conceptualising records management phenomena in the private higher education in Malawi.

Floods are among the most frequent urban disasters in cities of the global south where capacity and resource limitations collude with rapid urbanization to force many poor people to live in flood prone settlements. This paper investigated the impact of flood disasters on social resilience of low-income communities in Mzuzu City, Malawi.

Using a quantitative design, 345 households were interviewed in Zolozolo West and Mzilawaingwe Wards in Mzuzu City. The survey instrument achieved a 100% response rate. A reliability test using Cronbach’s alpha showed internal consistency of survey instrument at 0.711 for Zolozolo West Ward and 0.730 for Mzilawaingwe Ward.

Out of the eleven indicators of social resilience used in this study, six indicators showed no correlation with the outcome expectancy of social resilience. Of the five indicators that showed relationship with social resilience, only improvisation and inventiveness (r_s = 0.356, p = 0.000 at two-tailed, n = 213; r_s = 0.610, p = 0.000 at two-tailed, n = 132) had a strong relationship with the outcome expectancy of social resilience.

The study was only conducted in two settlements; caution should be observed when generalizing the results.

Practitioners should ensure that social resilience strengthening mechanisms are incorporated in flood risk management as they strive to achieve SDG 11 of making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

The study showed how floods can negatively impact the social resilience of low-income communities, which is different from common knowledge that floods can enhance community social resilience.

The aim of this paper is present findings of a study conducted to find out the current state of providing and accessing library and information services in public university libraries in Malawi through mobile phones.

The researcher carried out in-depth semi-structured interviews with university/college librarians using interview guides. University/college librarians were purposefully selected for the interviews because they are overall managers of their libraries, hence in a better position to provide information that addressed the study objectives. Proceedings of the interviews were recorded using a tape recorder, whilst backup notes were recorded in a notebook. Data were transcribed and analysed using Nvivo software.

Findings revealed that only one library in this study had fully implemented the offering of library and information services through mobile phones, whilst the rest were moving towards the same. Both user and reference service offering through mobile phones included e-journals, Facebook, WhatsApp, Online Public Access Catalogue and SMS. The institutions in this study had institutional repositories, e-journals and e-books, among others, which they could offer through mobile phones. High cost of accessing services through mobile phone, vandalism of Information and Communications Technologies infrastructure, shortage of skills and network congestion are some of the factors that may affect the offering of library and information services through mobile phones.

Malawi has four public universities. However, this article reports findings of a case study of three of the four constituent colleges of the University of Malawi (College of Medicine, Kamuzu College of Nursing and Polytechnic), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Mzuzu University. By virtue of being a case study, it means that the findings made are only applicable to the five institutions covered.

The study findings have practical implications in that they can be used as a model for planning the implementation of library and information services through mobile phones not only in public university libraries in Malawi but also other related institutions locally and internationally.

Use of mobile phones in the delivery of library and information services is receiving a lot of attention from researchers the world over. However, this is not the case in Malawi, as studies of this nature have not been conducted in the public university sector or in other related sectors. Findings of this study will, therefore, inform researchers intending to conduct similar or related studies not only in public universities in Malawi but other related institutions as well.