The contribution of the public library in promoting reading culture among library users in Rwanda

Abstract

Purpose

This study examined the contribution of the public library in promoting reading culture among library users in Rwanda.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a case study research design, with a qualitative approach where data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions.

Findings

The findings show that the library was being used by most library users for reading. However, most library users utilized the library for the purposes of gaining knowledge and relaxation. Among the factors that hinder library users from reading in the library included long distances to reach the public library, financial constraints, addiction to watching television and other viewing gadgets, difficulty in distinguishing main ideas from relevant details, slow reading rate, inadequate reading interests, unavailability of reading materials and inadequate vocabularies.

Research limitations/implications

The public library helps to promote the reading culture among library users and acts as a link to socio-economic discussions; however, there are factors that hinder effective reading culture.

Originality/value

The study is among the few ever to be carried out in the Rwandan setting owing to the nature of its public library services being focused on a varying category of users from academics to other citizens.

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Introduction

Reading is an art that can transform the life of an individual and the whole community as a whole. The survival and sustainability of any community depend on how much it is involved in reading. Following the benefits associated with reading, it is therefore advised each individual develop a good habit of reading (Danladi and Soko, 2018). Habitual reading is the basis of a reading culture. A person who has a reading culture is likely to have more knowledge in various fields (Badri, 2022). Globally, reading culture has been declining daily both in developed and developing countries. The decline of reading culture could be reflected by the rapid development of technologies, whereby, people have been attracted more to viewing gadgets (Sethy, 2018). The decline of reading culture has been observed to negatively affect academic achievements among students globally but also affects socio-economic issues globally (Samuel, 2022).

In Africa, similar to other developing countries, the reading culture trend is poor and declining (Kolajo and Agbetuyi, 2021). Several factors are causing the decline of reading in developing countries, such as the high level of illiterates, the advent of information and communication technologies (ICTs), etc. For example, in South Africa, the rate of illiterate people among the black population is high (Dick, 2020). The high illiterate level among the community makes reading a difficult task and therefore reduces the habits of reading among the people. The arrival of digital technologies and various modes of social interaction have made reading face a number of hurdles. Kabir and Jeromes (2022) observed the interests of young people in social networking, gaming, music, etc., causing a decline in reading.

Similar to other developing countries, the unsatisfactory trends of reading culture in Rwanda were observed to be associated with various reasons such as the influx of smartphones whereby children and adults have access to a variety of social networking sites on the internet. There has been an overriding desire amongst young people to spend more time with their friends on social media than spend much time reading, but more importantly it was observed the presence of inappropriate reading materials in the library which is either outdated or use unfamiliar languages (Anyira and Udem, 2020).

Public libraries have been used to serve the majority due to their nature of being public or community-oriented and a local gateway to knowledge for improved lifelong learning and cultural development of individuals and society (Balasubramaniyan and Karuppaiah, 2023). Most of the public libraries in Africa are facing a scarcity of funds. The smallest budget allocated to public libraries ends up paying salaries for staff while remaining with nothing to purchase information materials. Following the financial constraints, the majority of the African public libraries have found relief through donations and gifts of library materials from developed countries, but regrettably, most of these donated materials are not appropriate for use in Africa either due to language or unfamiliar topics (Aymatova, 2024). The presence of irrelevant and out-of-date materials is one of the cancers facing most of the public libraries in Africa and indeed, these irrelevant and outdated materials do not appeal to readers. These shortcomings caused public libraries in Africa not to fulfill their core roles of promoting reading culture because they don’t have reading materials to attract library users. When users go into the libraries they find materials that are irrelevant to their needs or materials with language unfamiliar or difficult to them (Aina et al., 2011).

In Rwanda, the public library is known as Kigali Public Library. It is the only public library, which was established in 2012. Kigali Public Library was established to serve all users from children to university students levels, people at workplaces and other citizens at large. More importantly, the Kigali Public Library was established to help the public to safeguard freedom of information and to assist in the development of a healthy democratic nation by providing access to information for making informed decisions necessary for their personal endeavors. It also serves as a gateway to information and knowledge to the public to help with securing employment or starting a business, to assist students in their education achievements and to build a common national identity (Olaka, 2015 cited in Olaka, 2009).

Kigali Public Library offers free internet access and services to children, young people and adults, and is stocked with fiction and non-fiction books for children, young people and adults in a range of formats. It has a collection of large print books and audiobooks, reference books and readers services, online reference sources, information and advice for learning and work, books to support learning, newspapers and magazines, and community events. Furthermore, the Kigali Public Library offers both print and electronic resources including books, electronic newspapers, journal databases and others. Currently, the Kigali Public Library offers virtual library services that enable library users to access library resources at remote locations.

Despite having a public library with modest resources, studies conducted in the past have revealed that the reading culture among communities in developing countries including Rwanda is poor and declining daily (Danladi and Soko, 2018). Most people, especially young ones, see reading as onerous and wasted when they have better things to do (Haliru et al., 2015). Therefore, most of them do not read at all while few of them read only when they are writing examinations in schools and higher learning institutions (Kafusha et al., 2021). As a result, due to poor reading culture, most library resources lie unused by many readers who resort to either using the public library as a reading space or focusing on ICT-related devices such as the internet, cell phones, video games and other viewing gadgets. This leaves the public library to promote reading culture among its users, whose role however remains unknown. It is due to this shortcoming that this study aims to examine the role of public libraries in promoting reading culture at Kigali Public Library.

Literature review

Among the major opportunities for attaining information is through reading, which is the basis for the creation of other academic skills (Ryan, 2024). According to Gündoğmuş (2024), the achievement in reading involves books and other resources, which are among the tools that promote a good reading culture. There are various ways that libraries could use to promote reading culture. A library can house diversities of learning resources i.e., books, computers, virtual library facilities, etc., that library users can use in reading. The library can provide an ideal environment for reading. Furthermore, libraries can provide ample space for a large number of users to access library resources. Apart from offering an ideal environment, which assists in developing a reading habit, libraries provide information that is easily and quickly discovered due to available systematic methods of organizing information. Additionally, the library provides professional services to the readers to meet their information needs (Chao et al., 2023). Owing to these options and a lack of sufficient research to substantiate this mandate in the context of public library services in Rwanda, there is a need to carry out studies such as this one to determine the efficacy of such roles.

Public libraries play a significant role in improving citizens' lives in a country by providing reading resources and space. Due to this role, users are bound to have a myriad of motivational factors to visit the public library. These include leisure reading, for self-improvement and for specific purposes such as academics or doing a specific project or activity. The use of the public library for reading purposes is not fully realized by some of its users. In some cases, library users visit libraries occasionally whenever they want to read (Gupta et al., 2022). Users may visit the library only when they have something to read or an assignment to work on. Studies by Danladi and Soko (2018), Mose and Mose (2021) and Kapachika (2020) reveal that most library users do not visit the library frequently rather they visit it whenever they have something to do. In addition, the presence of unrelated topics, outdated materials and the usage of unfamiliar languages in most of the materials were found to be the main reasons for the rare usage of the library.

Studies revealed that several public libraries in Africa have realized the need to promote a reading culture for their readers based on aspects such as age, availability of resources and library use purposes. For example, in realizing the need to promote a reading culture for library users from an early age, the Kenyan National Library makes available low-cost tablets to lower primary school children to encourage them to read (Mose, 2020). In addition, despite its lower usage, ICT integration into library activities is considered to contribute towards attracting children to visit the public library (Nyambura and Muthee, 2022). While the Kenyan National Library integrated ICTs into its services, the Malawi National Library developed other strategies such as introducing storytelling services and rewarding children who read well (Kapachika, 2020). In Uganda, the public library has taken several initiatives to promote the habit and culture of reading by introducing the National Book Week festival, reading tents, World Book and Copyright Day and a Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) day. These initiatives have helped the public library of Uganda to promote the reading habits of the public at a national scale (Kawalya, 2021).

Despite the various examples above that depict initiatives in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda, it can be noted that digital literacy concerning public libraries has not been exhaustively covered in past studies carried out in Rwanda, as in Uganda, Zambia and Malawi. In addition, whereas studies on reading culture among the users of the public library in Rwanda have realized the importance of provisions of access to electronic resources and the use of the internet (such as Nzeyimana and Bazimaziki, 2020), studies on the extent to which this has been put into effect are rare. Studies that demonstrate the use of other ways of motivating reading culture including reading tents, book weeks, reading days, storytelling and provision of reading spaces, to mention but a few, have been noted in other studies carried out in Africa. These include Nigeria (Ekere and Ugwuainyi, 2020), Namibia Lizazi-Mbanga and Mapulanga (2021), Tanzania (Mubofu and Mambo, 2024; Lyakurwa and Luambano, 2019) and Zambia (Chella et al., 2023). These studies, however, have not focused much on the prevailing digital literacy issues which demonstrates the fact that there is a paradigm shift towards reading culture particularly with an emphasis on digital resources. Digital literacy has greatly shaped the mindsets of readers of today’s world whereby the use of the internet has created a paradigm shift of library users. In other parts of the world such as Asia, literature reveals the paradigm shift from printed text to digital resources as a way of motivating reading habits. For example, in Malaysia, many students who used the library preferred digital materials compared to printed texts in terms of their preferences and availability (Baba and Affendi, 2020). The two aspects of preferences and availability help to further demonstrate the importance of digital literacies in environments where readers need to access such resources at remote locations. A good example of this can be traced back to the days of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) when users had to stay at home and needed to access the library. In India, for example, using e-library services during the pandemic helped users access digital materials to read for leisure and hobbies (Parikh and Vyas, 2020). This was also noted in other libraries in developed countries as well such as Serbia (Ćirić and Ćirić, 2021), California, the US (Nageswari and Thanuskodi, 2021) and the UK (McMenemy et al., 2023). Public libraries in the above-mentioned studies played a key role in providing access to digital content hence promoting the reading habits of users. Few countries in Africa including Nigeria reported similar cases in which the reading habits of users were sustained during this period when mobile phones were used to access electronic resources in the public library, despite notable challenges such as cost of resources, non-availability of resources, lack of motivation and heavy usage of social media (Adeyemi, 2021). The examples above are clear evidence of the current trends in the use of digital libraries and related services to promote reading culture among users who wish to read from materials presented in formats other than printed text.

Several factors impede reading culture in public libraries. For example, Nzeyimana and Bazimaziki (2020) found that many library users are not interested in reading resources that do not cover aspects related to the advancements of technology and the fact that social media has attracted many readers and attention is not paid much to library resources. In this case, library users especially young people are attracted more to social media and viewing gadgets rather than reading texts. For example, students at Atma Jaya Catholic University in Jakarta, Indonesia preferred playing with gadgets and rarely went to the library except for reading for assignments or discussions (Wijayanti, 2020). Long distances to reach public libraries in some countries appear to be one of the reasons leading to poor and decline of the reading culture (Haliru et al. (2015). In addition to financial constraints, most of the library users failed to visit the library regularly to make reading a habitual practice. Furthermore, family background contributed to the poor reading culture of individuals whereby a reading culture is tamed right from the family that reads, the lack of which, one may not be interested in reading (Kafusha et al., 2021). These and other associated challenges, however, are more prevalent in environments where socio-economic factors have more influence on reading than those where the abundance of resources, better education systems and other factors play a positive role in promoting reading culture. In this case, societies with better libraries, educational systems and influence from parents, society and other institutions can foster the reading culture of individuals (Aslam et al., 2022).

Despite various factors that lessen the effort of libraries in promoting reading culture, several scholars have proposed different ways by which public libraries would promote a good reading culture among its users. For example, Otache (2020) argues that rewarding the best readers, schools and libraries, provision of library space and furnishing them with relevant resources, integrating reading into the curriculum, creating reading groups and reading at home and others are among the measures that should be taken to promote reading culture. Provision of access to books and making them abundantly available is considered as one of the ways of promoting reading culture. Librarians need to identify users’ reading interests and help them to match appropriate resources with one’s interests. They should create an environment in which library users consider reading as a pleasure rather than a requirement for the fulfilment of academic awards or assignments (Okpala, 2021). Hardy and Hastings (2015) discovered that the creation of staff reading sessions, the creation of groups for book discussions, awarding reading teams, creation of the reading campaigns, etc., were among the initiatives taken to promote a good reading culture among staff of public libraries. In addition, Nalusiba (2010) argues that the creation of the readers clubs, timetabling reading and library lessons, creation of early reading sessions, etc., are among the strategies that should be taken to promote a good reading culture among young people. On the other hand, Mulauzi and Munsanje (2013) reveal that measures that should be taken to promote reading culture among students include re-designing the education curricula in order to stipulate reading books in classrooms as mandatory and furnish libraries with appropriate reading materials for every reading type. There is also a need to inspire interest, participation and confidence in learners in reading.

Based on the above review, this study realized the need to study various efforts taken by the Kigali Public Library in promoting reading culture among its users. This is due to the changed nature of reading patterns among users and the introduction of alternative media such as social media, televisions, and games, to mention but a few. Despite the presence of library facilities such as computers, internet and reading resources, reading patterns among users are still low. Hence, the need to find out various efforts by the public library to promote reading habits is considered important in this regard.

Theoretical and conceptual frameworks

This study used Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development Theory (Vygotsky, 1978) to understand the reading culture of library users at the Kigali Public Library. This theory argues that cognitive development and learning occur within a social environment. What an individual learns and how he/she makes sense of knowledge always depends on where and when he/she is learning. An individual is a social being with the capacity to execute new ways of thinking when learning and reading along with a more competent individual. Learning and reading can be viewed as activities that take place through a language. Both the learner and reader make sense of what is being said (or written) through an internal dialogue.

Learning and reading can be viewed as both interactive and constructive because learners and readers should be able to interact with a source of knowledge and be able to actively re-construct knowledge within their minds. However, the physical environment (in this case the library) that an individual uses for reading affects his/her level or capacity of reading. In addition, the presence of reading materials (the source of knowledge) with a more competent individual (librarian) will help to extend learners’ reading capacity or levels and gradually create a reading culture.

However, this model could not entirely represent all the study variables that were necessary in this study such as measures to be taken to promote reading culture. Nevertheless, the theory provided a frame for thinking about how public libraries could promote reading culture through the provision of relevant library resources in order to overcome issues that could impede the promotion of reading culture.

Conceptual framework

The conceptual framework in this study was designed to describe the existing relationship between study variables. As viewed in Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development Model, the study used variables, such as the source of knowledge (reading materials), physical environment (the library) and the presence of a librarian towards the creation of reading culture.

In this case, the creation of a reading culture is likely to be influenced by the presence of appropriate and adequate reading materials and the presence of a physical environment (the library) would encourage reading. On the other hand, the presence of competent personnel in the library (a librarian) would further help to guide the readers. Figure 1 below represents the conceptual framework of the study:

The study conceptualizes that reading culture starts with what the library user believes is the purpose of using a public library. This is accompanied by what resources are available in the library. However, some factors may encourage or discourage the users from using the library, including available resources, interests, language and others. As such, several measures should be taken to ensure that the reading culture among users is promoted and maintained. The conceptual framework guided the study to review the related literature, develop data collection instruments and formulate the main themes of research findings and discussion of research results.

Research methodology

The study employed a case study research design to facilitate the gathering of comprehensive information for representative sample units through quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study was carried out at Kigali Public Library located in Kigali city, the capital city of Rwanda. The Kigali Public Library was established in 2012 under the arrangement with the Rotary Club of Kigali-Virunga in a project to build the public library. Kigali Public Library is a public platform where anyone within the community is allowed to read and learn. It provides access to educational, cultural and other materials in digital and physical formats. It hosts and creates programs, workshops and events that foster literacy, creativity and innovation. The study area selection was based on the fact that this is the sole public library in Kigali city and saves users all over Rwanda.

This study used convenient and purposive sampling techniques to obtain a sample of 80 respondents in which convenient sampling drew 70 library users and purposive sampling was used to select 5 library staff and 5 users who used the library frequently, on a daily basis. Although a convenient sampling procedure had the weakness of not randomizing the respondents to provide equal chances for selection, it was still considered an alternative sampling strategy because users who visited the library were the only ones available when the study was conducted. Other would-be respondents included students, who used either academic or school libraries, workers who used specialized library services at workplaces or people on the streets who did not even know about the public library itself. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the 70 respondents who were found using the library services and those others who paid visits to the library. The researcher requested the participants who were willing to participate in the study to fill out and return the questionnaires. Questionnaires contained questions on demographic characteristics of users, the purpose of using the library, their preferences in using the public library for reading, factors hindering them from reading in public libraries and measures to be taken by the public library to promote reading among its users. On the other hand, interviews gathered information regarding the opinions of librarians and frequent library users on the purpose of using the library, effective use of the resources available, the influence of digital trends on reading culture and the public library’s role in promoting reading culture among its users. Direct observations were made to ascertain users’ categories, their numbers and the available resources to support reading. Observations were made by looking at the users who came to visit the library and their engagement with the services, types of reading resources available in the library and users’ engagement with the resources. In addition, secondary data were collected through policies, guidelines and other relevant documentary information. To establish the validity and reliability of research instruments, a pilot study was carried out at a community library located outside Kigali. The researchers chose the community library for the pilot because it was far from the public library for the respondents to be administered with the same instruments. To observe research ethical issues, a research permit and consent were obtained from relevant authorities and respondents were asked for their consent to participate in the study before responding to the questions set. Respondents were assured of the confidentiality of the information they provided and that it was used solely for the study and not otherwise. In order not to reveal the identities of interviewees, code manes such as Library Staff No.1 and Frequent Library User No.4 were used. The order of numbering did not represent a list or any other form of information that would otherwise reveal their identities. The primary data were organized and analyzed based on the specified research objectives. The analysis of quantitative data was done using IBM Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS 20) and Microsoft Office Excel 2016. A descriptive statistical analysis was used whose data was presented in the form of graphs, frequencies and cross-tabulations, tables and charts, depicting percentages and counts of respondents. The qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic method of analysis through developing themes that represented the issues being investigated. A matrix was used to summarize the main themes with their corresponding narratives to facilitate the presentation of qualitative data.

Study results

The study sought to find out which gender visited the library more over the other. The findings of the study show that 44 (63%) were females, while 26 (37%) were males. Figure 1 summarizes the summary of the gender distribution of respondents.

As the findings indicated in Figure 1, it was revealed that females visited the library more than males. The dominance of females over males shows that women at least have habits or tendencies of using the library habitually that may result in reading culture when compared to men’s. The researcher requested respondents to indicate their age group. The reason for identifying respondents’ age group was to examine which age group is using the library more frequently. Table 1 summarizes the findings.

The results of the study as indicated in Table 1 above show that most of the library users had an age group between 20 and 29 years, followed by library users who had an age group between 30 and 39 years. Most of the library users were at their highest levels of education i.e., secondary education and tertiary education (as summarized in Figure 3 below). The researcher also requested respondents to indicate their levels of education to find out which group in terms of education level there were more users of the library. The findings of the study show that 45 (64%) library users had technical/higher learning levels, while 25 (36%) library users had secondary levels. There was no library user with either nursery level or primary level of education. Figure 2 provides a summary of the findings.

The majority of library users were at technical/higher learning levels of education while most users who were at secondary school levels were in their senior stages of studies, i.e. form four and six who were about to sit for their final examinations (as was observed by the researcher).

Reasons for visiting the library

The researcher wanted to find out the main reasons for visiting the library. The purpose was to know the reasons for which respondents used the library. The findings indicate that 59 (84%) library users visited the library to read to gain knowledge, while 7 (10%) library users did so for relaxation purposes. There were at least 4 (6%) library users who visited the library to read for entertainment purposes. Table 2 summarizes the findings.

The results above indicate that most library users visited the public library to read for knowledge acquisition while a few went to read for relaxation and entertainment. When interviewed, one library staff commented as follows:

From my own experiences, apart from reading to gain knowledge also our clients used the library as their place for relaxation. This is evident during the time we collect our daily reports; we usually find that among the most used reading materials are fiction books and newspapers. This shows that they read such kind of materials as one way of relaxation. (Library Staff No. 4).

When one of the frequent library users was asked about the reasons for visiting the library, the following comment was made:

The library has always been a social gathering place for some of us since the days of the Rwanda genocide of the 1990s. We always come and sit together despite our ethnic differences and discuss developmental issues for the future of Rwanda. It has been a hub for people to meet and exchange ideas. [Frequently Library User No. 2]

The above comment was similar to the one made by another library user who commented as follows:

After reading news on newspapers or watching a television available in the library, we discuss issues emanating from the news we read or watch, this way we have been using the library as a meeting place where people from various places come and discuss issues surrounding our country in a way to unit Rwandans from ethnic divisions caused by the genocide of the 1994. [Frequently Library User No. 3]

The above quotes help to demonstrate the fact that library users visit the library to use reading resources for other purposes apart from gaining knowledge or self-improvement. In addition, the researcher intended to find out the pattern of reading among the respondents. Table 3 summarizes their results.

The results of the study show that there were 29 (39%) library users who read every week than those daily, i.e. 20 (27%) library users, while 6 (8%) library users pointed out that reading was not part of their routine.

The researcher sought to gather from respondents, information on the forms of the books mostly preferred by the library users. The reason was to find out the forms/types of books mostly read by users whether text or non-text books (such as novels, plays and so on). Figure 4 summarizes the findings.

From Figure 4 above, the findings show that 57 (81.4%) of library users mostly preferred reading textbooks while 13 (19%) preferred non-text books such as novels, poems, plays and others. During interviews library staff were asked to comment on forms/types of books that were being consulted by library users and had made the following comments:

Almost all the time when I am in charge in the library, what I can say is that textbooks are used more when compared to non-text books. Even during that time, we wrote an annual report when found that our clients were more interested in textbooks than non-text books. Maybe it is because most of our clients are students specifically secondary school students and those who are in higher learning institutions. (Library Staff No. 6)

Another librarian had the following to say:

I think textbooks are being used more compared to non-text books. This was evident when I asked my subordinates to write an annual report. Through that report one may find that a lot of textbooks need to be repaired; which is an indication that they are being used more often. In addition, more textbooks are lost compared to non-text books. This gives us a picture that our library users use textbooks more as compared to non-text books. But I think this is because most of our library users are students at different levels; therefore, they read textbooks more to excel in their studies. (Library Staff No. 2)

However, when one of the frequent library users was interviewed, it was evident that preferences for textbooks over other forms of reading resources came about as a result of the library’s shortage of more interesting forms of reading resources such as novels, poems, plays and others:

I think the preference for reading textbooks over those in other forms comes as a result of a lack of more interesting reading resources in other forms such as novels, poems, plays and others because most of those come in electronic formats that can be read through computers, mobile devices or in audiovisual formats. [Frequently Library User No. 4]

It was evident through observations that the library had stocked more textbooks as compared to other formats and the fact that some users used their mobile devices to watch videos or listen to music.

Nevertheless, the above quotes made by librarians from different sections of the library demonstrate that most users read textbooks more than other forms/types of books. However, it was discovered that some users did not borrow books from the library. When one librarian was asked during interviews, the comment below was given:

What I can say is that some of our clients are afraid of borrowing books and other reading materials from the library because they know that if they delay returning the books during the specified time they are going to be penalized. As a result, what they do is wait for their fellows to borrow the books then they read them when in their friend's place. (Library Staff No. 5)

The above quote implies that some library users were afraid of borrowing due to overdue fines due to late returns of the books.

In addition, the researcher wanted to find out whether library users read other reading materials like newspapers apart from reading books and the frequency of reading them. Results indicate that apart from reading books, respondents visited the library to read newspapers. When asked about the frequency of reading newspapers, respondents came up with various responses as summarized in Table 4.

Findings show that 26 (37%) library users read newspapers every day, while 18 (26%) library users used to read newspapers once a week. On the other hand, 4 (6%) library users had irregular reading habits in newspapers.

The researcher wanted to find out places where respondents acquired reading resources for reading. The findings show that 40 (53%) library users get books and other reading materials from the library, while 18 (24%) library users obtain reading materials from the bookshops. Others (11, 15%) got books and other reading materials through borrowing from their friends and 6 (8%) library users obtained books and other reading materials as gifts. Table 5illustrates the findings.

The results of the study above imply that most of the library users received their reading materials from the library.

The researcher asked respondents to provide their opinions on whether or not the books or reading materials provided by the library were relevant, to determine their interests in reading materials provided by the library. Table 6 illustrates the findings.

The findings reveal that 32 (46%) library users found the resources to be very relevant to the reading materials while 6 (9%) library users found that the reading resources were not relevant.

Apart from using library materials for reading purposes, respondents were asked to indicate other forms of materials they consult to supplement reading resources available in the library. Table 7summarizes their responses.

Results from Table 7 above indicate that respondents pointed at multiple resources used to supplement library books, journals and newspapers including mostly mobile phones, which were pointed out by 49(70%) respondents, tablets and iPads by 32(46%) respondents while 24(34.2%) respondents indicated that they used computers to supplement library reading resources.

The above question on supplementary library reading resources prompted the researcher to gather respondents’ opinions on whether, due to the digital shift, the behavior of readers has been influenced by new technologies brought up by the emerging digital platforms. Results from interviews conducted among frequent library users and librarians revealed that the emergence of digital platforms such as mobile devices, computers, televisions and videos have greatly influenced a changed behavior among library users towards reading from traditional media such as books, periodicals and newspapers.

Many library users who prefer reading books and newspapers always comment on the fact that these days reading print resources is not something that many readers prefer because most information is nowadays obtained from mobile phones, watching television or using computers and the internet to search for resources online for personal knowledge appraisal or entertainment [Library Staff No. 6]

One frequent library user who was asked to comment on the above had the following remarks:

Reading print books and newspapers is becoming less and less common in libraries these days because mobile phones have greatly influenced readers to focus on social media but also watching television, using computers for the same has also reduced the rate of reading print resources available in the library. [Frequent library user No. 2]

On the contrary, one elderly user who frequently used the library had an opposing opinion regarding the question asked above:

Despite the presence of all these emerging technologies, reading a print reading resource such as a book is different from doing the same on a mobile device or a computer, or watching a television to acquire knowledge. Holding a book in the hands has its unique test and it is more convenient than using digital devices as it can be read anywhere where electricity is not a necessity. There is a special feeling when a reader handles a book than those mobile devices as books are different in shape, texture, size and so on as compared to electronic devices which look all the same. [Frequent Library User No. 4]

The three comments above help to demonstrate the fact that despite being influential in changing reading culture, some library users noted the differences in reading print resources as compared to doing the same on mobile devices, televisions or computers.

Factors hindering users from reading in the public library

Respondents were asked to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with a number of factors considered to be hindering them from effectively using the library for reading purposes. Table 8 below illustrates the findings:

Results as summarized in Table 8 above reveal that the most hindering factor was financial constraints by 27(39%) respondents, long distances to reach the public library (21,28%) and addition to watching televisions and other viewing gadgets, which was commented by 19(27.1%) respondents. During interviews, one respondent commented as follows:

As a matter of fact, our clients fail to come in the library frequently because most of them are residing very far from here. So, I think maybe they are getting tired or they lack transport fares that would enable them to come here regularly. (Library Staff No. 8)

However, when interviewed, frequent library users had additional comments to make regarding factors hindering users from reading in the library as follows:

Language barriers are among factors hindering library users from reading resources available in the library. Since the 1994 genocide, there has been a significant linguistic shift in terms of languages used in some of the resources, particularly among users who have English background as opposed to French language which has been in existence since the colonial days. Users who are not conversant with one of the languages may not enjoy reading the resources written in another language. In addition, local people who never went to school may not read text written in foreign languages for most reading resources that are not written in indigenous languages. [Frequent Library User 1]

The above comment refers to the aspect of the changing linguistic landscape while another user commented on issues related to global socio-economic transformations and emerging technologies as follows:

Some people, particularly the youth, prefer using mobile devices, computers connected to the internet, and watching television rather than print resources available in the library. They want to keep themselves abreast with new socio-economic trends around the world for which the above-mentioned electronic devices bring more current information than printed books or newspapers published several hours after some world events have taken place. After the 1994 genocide, many young people in Rwanda have been struggling to transform their socio-economic ways of life to associate themselves with modern societies in a way to orient their mindsets away from the events related to previous ethnic divisions. It is through using modern technologies that most of them would move faster than relying mostly on books and or newspapers, which take time to produce. [Frequent Library User No. 6].

It was noted that in the post-genocide era of the 1990s, many societies in Rwanda embarked on transforming their socio-economic ways of life to bring harmony that was disoriented as a result of ethnic divisions. To do so, modern ICTs are being used to keep abreast with various socio-economic development aspects; hence, reading less current information resources would not bring the desired results. Having noted the above challenges, respondents were asked to suggest measures that the public library should take to promote reading culture among its users. Table 9 summarizes their responses:

As summarized in Table 7 above, most library users, i.e. 40(57.1%) suggested that the library should acquire materials that reflect users’ needs and that they should be written in a language familiar to the user community. In addition, 33(47.1%) respondents suggested that the library should acquire relevant reading resources.

Based on the challenges and proposed solutions, respondents were asked to provide their opinion on what they considered to be the contribution of the public library to promote reading culture among its users. Through interview results, it was revealed that the library would contribute greatly to the reading culture among its users by developing mechanisms that would encourage users to use the library. One respondent had this to say:

This was well elaborated by one of the library staff during the interview.

Honestly, as library staff, we do understand the benefits associated with rewards. In this case, to create the reading culture among library users we should reward the best readers. This will attract more users to come to the library and read. (Library Staff No. 1)

The above quote realizes the need to find incentives to motivate reading culture among users. On the other hand, encouraging reading in a familiar language was seen as one of the motivating factors to attract users to utilize the available reading resources. This was pointed out by one librarian when asked what was considered to be a hindering factor for most users to use library reading resources:

Most of the reading materials use the English language, and it is a known fact that in Rwanda English was introduced to supplement French, which used to be a colonial language, for which most of our clients are still using it. In one way or another, this might affect them in reading. Therefore, to enhance the reading cultures, we need to consider the issues of language by making sure that we equip reading materials that use the languages familiar to most of our readers. (Library Staff No. 4)

In addition to equipping the library with resources written in familiar language, it was also revealed that the resources acquired should be relevant to users’ needs, as one respondent commented:

It’s a common thing to find library equip reading materials that do not match with the user’s needs. Therefore, as librarians, we need to make sure that we equip reading materials that exactly match our users' needs. This will help to a large extent to promote the reading cultures as library users will find reading materials useful to them. (Library Staff No. 3)

In a way to find out what efforts the library had taken to promote a reading culture of its users, results from interviews revealed that the library strived to create reading campaigns to encourage library users to visit and use the library, as the comment below attempts to illustrate:

We have been creating various reading campaigns to create awareness about the reading cultures. This has been a fundamental means of creating reading cultures because we have seen an increased rate of library users who come into the library for reading. (Library Staff No. 2)

The above comment reveals the fact that the library has taken various measures to encourage its users to use the available reading resources in order to encourage them to read. In addition to creating reading campaigns, the library attempted to acquire recent publications that reflect the needs of the readers. Despite these and other measures, limited amounts of resources have still been major setbacks in promoting a reading culture for library users. On the other hand, views gathered from frequent library users regarding measures to promote reading culture in the public library, some suggestions were given, which focused on transformations to reflect digital platforms and cultural aspects as follows:

It is high time that the library moves towards where the users are. Since many of the would-be library users spend their time on social media and electronic devices, the library should embark on embedding digital reading environments in the library by introducing electronic resources to supplement printed ones. This should be associated with the provision of media and digital literacy skills to users to make appropriate use of the newly introduced digital media. [Frequently Library User No. 3].

The library should subscribe to more electronic resources to supplement printed materials and should also acquire computers and introduce mobile devices that support electronic books. [Frequently library User No. 1].

The library should move back to the old tradition of storytelling, which was common in the past when parents used to sit with their children and tell stories. In turn, this would inspire children to find reading resources having these and many other stories to meet their desired needs. [Frequent Library User 5].

The above comments made by library users provide the impression that the library should drive deeper into solving reading problems among its users rather than looking at obvious solutions that may not achieve the intended results.

Discussion of research findings

Results from this study revealed some issues regarding the public library and its users. The study has revealed that due to their nature, the majority of library users were students at various levels. This category of users’ needs to visit the library frequently because they need to consult several information sources that may help them answer their assignment questions and also gain knowledge in their field of study. As a public library, it was expected to see different categories of people use the library. This may not be a surprise as previous studies conducted in developing countries such as Mushtaq and Arshad (2022) reveal that library users with the highest academic qualifications tend to use public library services than others. In addition, the public library has mostly been used as a place to read for the acquisition of knowledge although in some cases, users visited the library to read for relaxation and entertainment. This is similar to Danladi and Soko (2018) who found that most of the library users use the library to gain knowledge. Since the majority of the library at Kigali were students, they needed to acquire knowledge on their fields of study to pass their examinations, hence spending more time in reading. On the other hand, these results differ from a study by Cordero et al. (2020) who revealed that library users prefer using the library due to its ideal space. It was observed that despite the above, some users used the public library as a place for their enjoyment after a long day of work or classes. In a way, this could help to develop their reading culture. Apart from using the library for reading and entertainment, the study found that users visited the library to exchange ideas and bring them together despite their cultural differences. This may not be a surprise since, for example, a study by Igarashi et al. (2023) reveals that a public library is a place that overcomes social division by minimizing inequality and promoting interaction among people. It was observed that library users sat in discussion rooms and exchanged ideas on the social development of the country, in a way people were attracted to visit it for social interaction. The public library was also a host to various debates and discussions concerning various socio-economic issues including peacebuilding activities (Ataci, 2023).

Results from the study further revealed that users visited the library every week for reading purposes and some did so on a daily basis although others were not interested in reading. These findings relate to those of Bains (2021) Mose and Mose (2021) and Kapachika (2020) who found that most of the library users do not visit the library very often. Among the reasons for the occasional visit to the library was due to a lack of interest in reading and being unaware of the available services in the library. At Kigali Public Library, it was observed that some reading materials were out of date while others lacked interesting topics that could relate to the user’s needs, and some resources were written in languages not familiar to some readers. Nevertheless, despite the above shortfalls, it could still be concluded that the main purpose of library users visiting the library was to gain knowledge and carry out academic reading.

Results from the study reveal that more users read textbooks than non-text books (such as fiction and others). It was expected to see the majority of the respondents preferring reading non-text books since some of the respondents used the library as a place for relaxation. However, the usage of non-textbooks was at the lowest level. This is because most of the fiction books had stories that could make a reader enjoy reading. In this case, some of the library users, after a long day of classes or work would use the library for reading non-text books such as novels, magazines, newspapers and others, as a way of refreshing their minds. Nevertheless, this is not surprising since, as a study by Alex-Nmecha and Horsfall (2019) reveals, most library users prefer reading textbooks to non-textbooks. This is because the main purpose of most library users in this regard is to read to gain knowledge and skills and pass their examinations. In this case, they would need to read different textbooks to be more familiar with their field of study. These results, however, differ from studies such as the one by Baba and Affendi (2020) which reveal that many students in Malaysia preferred reading materials in digital formats to printed ones. Despite the availability of digital resources at Kigali Public Library, including electronic resources and books, it was surprising to note that most users preferred print over non-print resources. Perhaps this was attributed to a lack of awareness of the availability of such resources among library users.

Results from the study reveal that most users obtained their reading resources from the library although it was surprising to note that reading materials from bookshops were usually for sale, a large number of respondents got their reading materials also from the bookshops. This means that perhaps respondents had developed their reading culture to the extent that they had to buy their own reading materials from the bookshops or the fact that the library did not have some of the titles that are specific to their needs. In Africa, the library is used as the main source of getting reading materials. However, when compared to the developed countries, apart from the library users obtaining their reading materials as gifts after being used by others, those who are financially well buy books from bookshops and other stores. On the contrary, during interviews with frequent library users, it was observed that several respondents appeared not to have the habit of borrowing books from the library.

A number of factors contribute to poor reading habits among users of the public library in Rwanda, one of them being financial constraints. As results reveal, since library users are residing in different areas, financial implications rise due to the need for transport fares and other expenses as the distance from the library is far. In suburban areas, many libraries whose resources are mainly in print copies face the challenge of non-use since readers have to travel long distances to access such resources. According to Danladi and Soko (2018), financial constraints are one of the major factors that hinder most library users from frequently visiting libraries for reading purposes. In addition, Most of the respondents confirmed that watching television and other viewing gadgets were among the major barriers that hindered them from using the library for reading purposes. Due to technological advancements, a lot of content has been converted from text to audio and video formats for easy learning and understanding. In this case, library users are becoming more attracted and interested in content that is presented in the form of audio/video through viewing gadgets like computers, laptops, smartphones, etc. and documentaries, that reflect their areas of interest presented through television. These findings are related to those of Baba and Affendi (2020) who also found that watching television, viewing gadgets and internet as some of the major challenges that prevent library users from reading in the library as most of them are attracted to watching movies, documentaries or surfing the internet rather than reading texts. In addition, it was also surprising to note that several library users thought that a lack of interest in reading might hinder them from visiting the library more often. Perhaps this was contributed by the fact that the use of the library was not limited only to reading, rather, using it for refreshment would also be the motive behind visiting the library. These findings are contrary to that of Akanda et al. (2013) who found that lack of internet to read is one of the factors that hinder library users from visiting the library frequently. Data from interviews reveal that some library users were discouraged from using the library since some of the library resources lacked content that reflected socio-economic trends taking place worldwide. It was noted that after the 1990s genocide, many young people were interested in obtaining information that could transform their past lives which were affected by ethnic differences. To some extent, this concurs with a study by Nzeyimana and Bazimaziki (2020) which revealed that library users are not interested in reading resources that do not cover aspects related to the advancements of science and technology, and the fact that social media has attracted many readers and attention is not paid much to library resources.

As remedies to poor reading habits, respondents made several suggestions, such as creating reading groups, awarding readers, making reading campaigns and ensuring that libraries are furnished with relevant resources. In a way to overcome some of the challenges, the library made a number of attempts, including carrying out reading campaigns and acquiring relevant resources to meet users’ needs. According to Hardy and Hastings (2015), the creation of reading campaigns is one of the various ways of promoting reading cultures among library users. Reading campaigns help to create awareness of the importance of reading, hence promoting a reading culture for library users. In order to promote reading culture, libraries should acquire relevant library materials that meet the needs of their users’ needs and those that use language that is familiar to users (Sethy, 2018).

Conclusion and recommendations

From the analysis of this study, it can be argued that public library highly help to promote the reading culture among library users. Besides, the library is being used by most of the library users for reading. In addition, most of the library users use the library to gain knowledge and relaxation. Additionally, respondents acquire their reading materials in the library but also from other means such as purchases, gifts and borrowing. The study further concludes that the reading habits of users in public libraries are moderate since most of them visit the library occasionally and prefer reading textbooks to non-textbooks, watching television and other viewing gadgets. Apart from promoting the reading culture of its users, the public library is faced with several limitations including financial constraints, and interests in other medium and long distances from the library.

In order to overcome such challenges, the library management could plan to establish several branch libraries to reduce long distances to visit the public library located in the city of Kigali. There is also a need to establish mobile public libraries to reach many library users in a way to promote the reading culture. The library should go to where users are located, and not vice versa. Apart from furnishing the library collection with relevant reading resources and encouraging users to utilize them, there is a need for the library to acquire soft copies of their reading materials. This may help to enhance the reading culture of those who are rather addicted to viewing gadgets and internet surfing.

The study has established that the public library contributes greatly to transforming the mindsets of citizens particularly when unique events such as the genocide of Rwanda end up dividing people on ethnic grounds. The public library has brought together people from various ethnic origins to discuss and plan for the future development of the country. As such, apart from providing reading resources, the public library has been an important focal point for people of all ages and backgrounds to sit together and discuss developmental issues about their country.

Figure 1

Conceptual framework showing the relationship between variables

[Figure omitted. See PDF]

Figure 2

Distribution of respondents by gender (N = 65)

[Figure omitted. See PDF]

Figure 3

Distribution of respondents by level of education (N = 70)

[Figure omitted. See PDF]

Figure 4

Form of books preferred mostly by the library users (N = 70)

[Figure omitted. See PDF]

Table 1

Distribution of respondents by age group (N = 75)

Age group	Frequency	Percentage
10–19 years	7	10
20–29 years	35	50
30–39 years	23	33
40–49 years	4	6
50 and above years	1	1.4
Total	70	100