Income generation of university libraries in Kenya: Trends, lessons and opportunities in sustainable development education

Abstract

Sustainability has been elevated from doing to the level of being; involving mission, vision andshared values. The shared values are the Triple, Bottom down approach which is the global agenda. The practice of education for sustainable development (ESD) is diverse and involves pillars, social, economic and environmental. This study seeks to address the economic pillar in the higher education setting, mainly university libraries as its main objective, since higher education is now the change agent for sustainability. The study has used system theory and stakeholder theories using survey design involving, trends from global perspective in knowledge creation, mainly sustainability curriculum as in Sweden and Australia higher education as well as California in the United States of America (USA). Further mention was in the United Kingdom (U.K) and Turkish foundation universities, Malaysia Waqf Universities and the entrepreneurial mindset of the Pakistan higher education. The various hurdles in funding university higher education and libraries mainly on policies and decision is given, like in Nigeria Universities and Jordan Universities and Zambia just like positive examples in Ghana, Botswana, Uganda (Makerere) and Malawi. The study has recommended various sources of income generation for university libraries and adoption of models as in Malawi, during 2008/2009 and 2009/2010, the library raised 7.2% and 5.4% of their income respectively and other innovative models as undertaken by the University of Botswana in Africa besides lessons of innovative models at New Jersey state universities among other global sustainability curriculum trends as in Sweden and Australian Higher Education which can be adapted for university libraries as in Kenya.