The Adoption and Use of Digital Literacy among Selected Libraries in Tertiary Colleges in Tanzania

Abstract

This study chiefly aimed at assessing the adoption and use of digital literacy among libraries in selected tertiary colleges. Two tertiary college were selected as cases studies, namely, Tanzania Public Service College (TPSC) and Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI).The study aimed at examining the status of digital literacy adoption, determining the use of digital literacy on their day-to-day activities, and identifying challenges of digital literacy adoption and use among libraries in selected colleges. A sample of 98 library users were selected as respondents. Data was collected through questionnaire and face-to-face interview. Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, while content analysis was used for qualitative data. The findings show that majority of the respondents were aware of the adoption and use of Digital Literacy, but faced challenges such as technophobia, lack of enough and supported instructions on digital literacy, poor power supply to support internet, and insufficient digital literacy facilities. In fact, the majority of respondents had adopted and used digital literacy for less than a year. The use of digital literacy has a number of benefits such as easy and quick access of information, retrieval of library information in cataloguing and classification, as well as accessing different databases to acquire relevant data and information. The study recommends that the government and top management of institutions or colleges should make available more funds to support libraries in the adoption and use of digital literacy, allow librarians to take short courses to enhance adoption and use of digital literacy, purchase more digital literacy facilities, purchase a strong standby generator, and accommodate digital literacy programmes in college curricula.