INTRODUCTION
This report is based on a three month industrial attachment program in the Kenya National
Archives and documentation Service, under the field of information science, and therefore a
copy of the same remains with the industrial trainer (KNADS) and the other copy submitted
to the field industrial supervisor (Technical University of Kenya).
This program was intended to introduce a more clear understanding to students in a very
practical way and introducing the procedural steps followed during the time at which
information resources are appraised up the time of their storage and dissemination to the
users of the public.
I started my industrial attachment program on June 10th 2013 and completed on 30th August
2013 and was attached to the repository section of the organization, and therefore the
information in this report will fully be based in this particular section but will also state the
other departments of the organization and their functions as well as the structure of the
management functions.
It is a compilation of the background of the Kenya Natinal Archives and Documentation
Service, its structure, challenges encountered, conclusion for the betterment of information
field and recommendations to the KNADS.
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SUMMARY
Basing on the coursework at The Technical University of Kenya, there should be an
attachment program undertaken to facilitate more understanding in the field of information
science. Kenya National Archives and Documentation Centre is therefore the Industrial
Trainer.
The Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service (KNADS) is a department under
the ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts, which was established in 1965 by the act of the
parliament, the Public Archives and Documentation Service Act Cap. 19 of the laws of
Kenya.
The Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service is divided into four major
divisions;
i. General Administration service – responsible for providing support service to all other
departments.
ii. Records Management service – responsible in collecting records for permanent
preservation from ministries of the Republic of Kenya.
iii. National Documentation Service – responsible for collecting and processing
government publications and other general circulated publications.
iv. Archive Administration Division – responsible for storage conservation and use of
public archives.
While attached at the KNADS, there are several challenges encountered, shelving challenges,
information retrieval challenges and supervisory related challenges.
The recommendations currently under this report include staff and resources appraisal,
relocation, resources and funding.
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 SHORT HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF THE KENYA NATIONAL
ARCHIVES AND DOCUMENTATION SERVICE (KNADS)
The Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service (KNADS) is a department under
the ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts, which was established in 1965 by the act of the
parliament, the Public Archives and Documentation Service Act Cap. 19 of the laws of
Kenya.
Its commitment is to provide timely services to clients according to the existing laws, rules,
regulations, norms, professional ethics and clients’ expectations, without any form of
discrimination or inducement.
1.1 MANDATE
KNADS is mandated to acquire, preserve and make accessible records and archive to the
public.
1.2 VISION
To excel as an archives and records service in view of all Kenyans and the world, and to
serve as the memory of the nation.
1.3 MISSION
To offer consultative records management services to the public service; acquire and preserve
valuable public as well as private records as part of the national documentary heritage; and
ensure timely accessibility of records and archives to users.
1.4 CORE FUNCTIONS
• To provide advisory services to the public offices on all matters relating to the
creation, care, control, and general management of the public records;
• To acquire and provide custodial services to records and archives of national interest;
• To provide reference service and facilities to users of archival resources;
• To publicize and promote archives service in the country.
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1.5 OBJECTIVES OF ESTABLISHMENT OF KNADS
Providing Archives and records services to The Government of The Republic of
Kenya.
Making archive information to be readily and easily available to the members of
the nation.
Acquiring, Processing, storing and retrieving documentary materials of the
national, historical, cultural, research and educational impotence.
Safe keeping in suitable environmental conditions of all national archives.
Provision of facilities for the repair and conservation of all archive materials
through any means possible to enable the materials last for long time and to be
accessed by the public in any time required.
Publishing of retrieval materials such as texts, inventories, etc to make it easy for
the public to get any information they want, through retrieving in archival
holdings.
Provision of reference services facilities for the inspection of Archives which
lawfully open to the public.
1.6 EXPECTATIONS FROM THE ATTACHMENT
Having successfully completed three months in my attachment, I am now able to see the
following fulfilments:
I. It has comprehensively leaded my school knowledge into a real practical
experience in the field.
II. The program has equivalently enabled me to learn more on the field of
information science, its importance and how to use it as a tool to help the
community of users both in public and private sectors.
III. The attachment has readily equipped me with experience and knowledge of
exposure as well as a general knowledge of every process that is followed
during acquisition, selection, storage and dissemination of information
resources.
IV. The attachment has improved my communication skills, creating a good
interpersonal relationship and enhancing a positively public relation skill
which is of vital importance in any public or private institution.
V. I learned on the important of information science as a tool to create
opportunities for the youth in entrepreneurship and innovation.
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CHAPTER 2
2.0 THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE KENYA NATYIONAL ARCHIVES AND
DOCUMENTATION SERVICE
The Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service is divided into four major
divisions;
v. General Administration service – responsible for providing support service to all other
departments.
vi. Records Management service – responsible in collecting records for permanent
preservation from ministries of the Republic of Kenya.
vii. National Documentation Service – responsible for collecting and processing
government publications and other general circulated publications.
viii. Archive Administration Division – responsible for storage conservation and use of
public archives.
Archive administration division is further subdivided into the following sections;
a. Repository
b. Microfilming
c. Audio-visual
d. National Documentation service
e. Public relation
f. Search room
g. Information communication technology
h. Conservation
i. Murumbi Gallery
j. Mau Mau section
2.1 REPOSIOTORY SECTION
Its core functions include provision of a permanent custody to all public records and
facilitating accession of the public archives to researchers or the general public.
It is the records storage area where records are preserved, maintained and controlled.
The repository section has eight different rooms, ‘eight repositories’
The major activities done here include the following;
Arranging of records as per the originality, i.e. original order and area of origin.
Sorting out of records
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Boxing of records as well as assigning of box numbers and box reference according to
the records that are being dealt with.
Shelving of boxed records as well as including its location in the guide.
Retrieving of records for researchers as per the request made by the researcher.
Preparing shelves numbers and noting out each shelve with its record.
Replacing worn out boxes and worn out file folders with the aim of maintaining them
and extending their lifespan.
2.2 CHALENGES FACED WHILE ATTACHED TO THE REPOSITORY SECTION
The following are the many challenges that may have frustrated me while in the section:
2.20 Retrieval related challenges
During the process of retrieval, notably many files have their reference numbers
indicated with a pencil, some of which are faded and difficult to read the file reference
number which will need their original guide to be identified and this process takes
some time, having in mind that the file is being awaited in the search room.
Some records are so scattered and sometimes hard to establish the location where the
requested record is, and thereby wasting some time during the process of retrieval.
There are instances where many boxes are worn out which is difficult to pull them out
of their shelves during retrieval, some would even tear apart when trying to pull them
out of the shelves.
Some records are not in the shelves, “repository one” and retrieval of these records is
tiresome when identifying the boxes they belong to and they are even congested
together in one place.
Some box labels are not clear and some don’t even have the box labels which is
therefore hard to identify the records location during retrieval process, notably there
are these boxes having the box labels, clear and visible, but do not give all the
reference number of all the files as per their classes inside.
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The repository guide sometimes mislead while on the process of retrieving, because it
may not tell the correct shelf location of the requested records due to the ongoing
process of shelf reorganization.
There is more than one guide in the section, and they differ in terms of the lists of
records location, it is therefore difficult to identify the correct repository guide to
follow during information retrieval process.
2.21 Shelving related challenges
It is difficult to master all the records and their location in the repositories, and there
are some instances where some would retrieve records and fail or forget to indicate
the shelve reference number on them which will be difficult to shelve them back to
their locations.
Many boxes are worn out which is difficult to pull them out of their shelves during
shelving, some would even tear apart when trying to pull them out of the shelves.
Some box labels are not clear and some don’t even have the box labels which are
therefore hard to identify the records location during retrieval process, notably there
are these boxes having the box labels, clear and visible, but do not give all the
reference number of all the files as per their classes inside.
Some mobile shelves are no longer in good condition and therefore hard to open
them.
2.3 MICROFILMING SECTION
The major work done here is conversion of printed documents which includes the news
papers, i.e. the daily nation, the standard and the Kenya times, into digital formats.
These news papers are microfilmed and processed and finally stored according to numbers,
and hereby a researcher can request to read the information from a microfilm reader.
The estimate life span of this microfilm is 500 years and this clearly tells why documents are
digitized.
The other main tasks carried out in this section include the following;
Capturing the general information page by page from these news papers by use of
modern cameras which can zoom out the letters in the news papers using a special
lens.
Processing of microfilming is done by mixing of worm and cold water thus making
the information to be permanently fixed in the films and last for long.
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Entering the captured data which is ready for use in the microfilming database.
Retrieving microfilms requested from the search room by researchers
Storing microfilms in microfilms store in an appropriate way so that time will not be
wasted during retrieving them for researchers, this is done by allocating valid
continuous numbers in the microfilm which is referred, to when retrieving them.
2.4 AUDIO VISUAL
This room caters and provides room or accommodation for all information that can be listed
to, or listed to and watched, such as video tapes
It has o more wide collection of Kenyan heritage photos.
It also houses the many audio tapes that were taken on and about Kenya. All these have wide
and spread information about the Kenyan heritage.
2.5 CONSERATION SECTION
This section provides a special care which includes repair and conservation as well as
restoration of damaged records and publications.
This section also deals with strengthening the weak records as well as disinfecting deep
freezing of all these records that may be infected with insecticides on their arrival into The
Kenya National Archives, so that when placed into the shelves in repositories, other records
are not affected.
They also do binding of materials using different methods of binding, i.e.
Spiral binding
Flash binding
Quarter-case binding
Case binding
Lamination of materials is also done and trimming of materials into a presentable size.
2.6 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECTIO
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This section will cater for ICT needs for all other sections as per the hardware and software
requirements of these sections.
The ICT section also troubleshoots hardware problems, give out desk services and maintain
overall database that provides information services to researchers.
2.7 SEARCH ROOM SECTION
This is a room equipped with tables and chairs, where researchers go in and do their research
as per their information needs.
These researchers usually go to a machine and search in the database the kind of information
they need and fill in a request form to request it from staff concerned.
2.8 PUBLIC RELATIONS
It is the section that carries with it the reception unit which its core function is to handle the
members of the public that are coming into The Kenya National Archives.
Their major responsibility is taking or directing people or a group of people around the
gallery while explaining to them.
2.9 THE NATIONAL DOCUMENTATION SERVICE SECTION
This is the library found inside The Kenya National Archives. This library holds all
government and at time s non-governmental publications that are used by both researchers
and the staff.
They receive request from the search room by researchers, retrieve them and hand over the
publications to researchers.
This section is also responsible for selecting publications from the many publications
available, appraising, processing, classifying and entering them in the database.
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CHAPTER THREE
3.0 ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
3.1 THE DIRECTOR
The Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service is headed by a Director.
He is the overall authority in his organization and every staff is answerable to him.
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The director acts and serves the function of being the link between the Kenya National
Archives and the ministry of State for National Heritage and culture, who are the employees
of Kenya national Archives staff.
3.2 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Notable in The Kenya national archives are two assistant directors of which one is in charge
of the administrative functions while the other is in charge of professional services of the
national archives.
Administrative tasks include:
Accounts
Human resource management
Procurement
Professional services include:
Records management
Archives management
National Documentation Service
3.3 CHIEF RECORDS MANAGER
He is the responsible of all the records centres of The Kenya National Archive. I.e. Kisumu
records centre, Nairobi records centre, Mombasa records centre, Nakuru records centre and
Kakamega records centre.
3.4 CHIEF ARCHIVIST MANAGER
He takes the responsibility of all records in the archive and thus monitors all the activities in
the following sections: Search room, Repository, Conservation, Audio visual, Microfilming,
Art gallery, ICT.
3.5 CHIEF LIBRARIAN
He takes the responsibilities of the NDS section o f the Kenya National Archives, thus he
monitors all the activities of the NDS as he also gets assistance from other librarians.
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3.6 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE KENYA NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Director
Deputy Director
Assistant Director Assistant Director
Records mgt Archive mgt NDS Procurement Human Resource Accounts
Repository Search room Conservation Audio Visual Microfilming Art Gallery ICT
Kisumu Nairobi Mombasa Nakuru Kakamega
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 CONCLUSION
Information science does not consist only of the explicit paradigm of the study of the
selecting, gathering, organizing, accessing and retrieving of information that is the usual
description of the field. As with most intellectual domains, the field of information science
has many unarticulated, but important, elements "below the water line."
It has been the purpose of this article to bring some of those elements to the surface, so that
we may better understand our own work and communicate it to the many people from the
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broader societies who are now excited by information questions and problems, and so the
information centres like the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service should
always run to fulfil the objectives of information science establishment and support the
training institutions that offers information studies to nature more information personnel in
the coming future.
4.1 RECOMENDATIONS
The major problems that are currently facing The Kenya National Archives and
Documentation Service require a quick reaction of solutions and some more changes
implemented to ensure that the objectives and goals of the establishment are achieved.
It is therefore important to allocate and provide more resources as well as adequate
staff to the departments of this organization, and in particular the repository section,
where staff are small in number. For the purpose of submission of this report, and to
my own knowledge of understanding, I could propose an allocation of about five staff
as the minimum of each repository in the organization.
In the future it is also very important to work on re-allocation of the organization to
other places where there is minimal noise pollution and dust, because currently Tom
Mboya is much more uncontrollable in terms of noise and dust.
Digitization of records may be an important aspect in the organization and it is good
to strongly support it by all means and allocate much more resources, both human and
finances because many of the records are in a poor condition, they keep on
deteriorating with time and once measures are managed to control them especially
conservation measures like digitization, then it means that at least a duplicate of the
same is left behind for the users.
It is good to have a soft copy of the repository guide, so that when the current exercise
of shelf reorganization goes on, the staff will keep on adjusting the locations and
codes.
The habit of eating and drinking inside and especially in places where records are
stored should be prohibited to ensure that biological factors of deterioration are
controlled.
When also considering the conditions of shelves, it may be a good suggestion to
renovate and repair especially the mobile shelves where some of the locks and rollers
are no longer functioning.
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Finally it may also be a good thought to talk about the renovation of the building
inside and outside to provide more security to the staff and the information resources
as well as machines. This may include inspection and surveillance of both staff and
users when entering and leaving the premise to be sure that they do not walk inside
with unwanted objects and machines that do not belong to the office.
4.2 APPENDICES
http://www.archives.go.ke/
http://www.museums.or.ke/
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