A Comprehensive Auditing and Mapping of University Press Publications in Kenya from 2020-2023

Research publications are a fundamental requirement for university academics worldwide, shaping their tenure and promotion prospects. They represent the essential scholarly output that academics must produce to advance or maintain their careers. University presses bear the responsibility of disseminating research generated in institutions of higher learning. Thus, they play a crucial role in the scholarly communication ecosystem. This paper mapped and audited scholarly publications produced by university presses in Kenya. It specifically examines the types and quantities of scholarly publications produced by university presses and deposited in university libraries and bookshops in Kenya. The study was informed by revised Boyer’s Model of Scholarship. Conducted using a mixed methods research approach and survey research design, the study employed a census and purposive sampling to select key informants of the study and university press staff respectively. The target population was fifty-one respondents comprising 36 staff from university presses, 7 university librarians, 7 university press managers and one bookshop manager from the selected universities. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires while qualitative data was collected using interviews and documentary review. Qualitative data was analysed thematically using Nvivo data management software version 12, while quantitative data was analysed using SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics version 28.0.1.1). Quantitative data was presented statistically using tables and graphical representations, while qualitative data was presented using descriptive narratives and verbatim quotations. Findings revealed that university presses in Kenya produce more of non-scholarly publications than the scholarly ones. Additionally, the study revealed that these publications are hardly deposited in university bookshops and libraries. This limits their visibility and uptake. The study concludes that university presses in Kenya are not fully meeting their mandate of disseminating scholarly knowledge. The study recommends improved productivity of scholarly publications by university presses as a means of increasing their scholarly value. The study also recommends a regular auditing of university press publications to continually assess their quality and visibility within and beyond their parent institutions. The findings of this study may be used by university management to develop policies which systemise, promote and sustain their presses for better productivity and visibility.