Artificial Intelligence-Powered Virtual Assistants and Information Literacy Support Among Postgraduate Students at Kenyatta University Library
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70619/vol6iss2pp13-24-936Keywords:
Information Literacy Support, AI-Powered Virtual Assistants, Reference Service Provision, Academic Libraries, KenyaAbstract
Academic libraries are expected to build postgraduate students' research competencies, yet the specific contribution of AI-powered virtual assistants to information literacy remains poorly understood in Kenyan university settings. This study assessed the extent to which AI-powered virtual assistants support postgraduate students' information literacy at Kenyatta University Library. The study was anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, collecting quantitative data from 143 postgraduate students sampled through simple random sampling using Yamane's formula, complemented by qualitative data from structured interviews with six library staff involved in reference services and digital systems. Cronbach's alpha confirmed the reliability of the information literacy support construct (.861), while the reference service provision construct returned .849. Descriptive results showed that information literacy support recorded an overall mean of 3.88, with promotion of ethical information use rated highest and improved understanding of academic databases rated lowest. Reference service provision recorded an overall mean of 3.92, with accuracy and reliability of information rated highest and overall satisfaction rated lowest. Correlation analysis established a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship between information literacy support and reference service provision (r = .737, p < .01), and simple linear regression confirmed that information literacy support significantly predicts reference service provision (Beta = .737, p < .001). Interviews with library staff corroborated these findings, indicating that the assistant reliably handled routine search and citation tasks but that complex queries and citation accuracy still required librarian oversight. The study concluded that AI-powered virtual assistants meaningfully strengthen information literacy and reference service outcomes, though gains remain uneven across specific competencies. The study recommended that library management strengthen the assistant's coverage of database navigation and continue monitoring its contribution to reference service quality.
References
Association of College and Research Libraries. (2022). Information literacy competency standards. https://www.ala.org/acrl
Bakiri, A., Lwehabura, M., & Angello, C. (2024). Digital library systems and user access in Tanzania. Information Development, 40(1), 112 to 125. https://doi.org/10.1177/02666669221123456
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. (2022). Information literacy definition and framework. https://www.cilip.org.uk
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319 to 340.
Head, A. J., DeFrain, E., Fister, B., & MacMillan, M. (2020). Information literacy in the digital age. Project Information Literacy. https://projectinfolit.org
Issa, T., et al. (2022). Information literacy competencies among Nigerian university students. Survey research report.
Jebet, T. (2025). Adoption and use of artificial intelligence tools for service provision in selected university libraries in Kenya [Master's thesis, Kenyatta University]. Kenyatta University Institutional Repository. https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/31009
Kasneci, E., Sessler, K., & Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT and AI in education. Nature Machine Intelligence, 5, 123 to 126. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-023-00627-8
Mhlongo, M., & Ocholla, D. (2023). Digital literacy and academic libraries. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 89(1), 12 to 25.
Mugenda, O. M., & Mugenda, A. G. (2003). Research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. Acts Press.
Mwangi, P., Otieno, J., & Kamau, S. (2023). Postgraduate research challenges in Kenya. African Journal of Library Studies.
Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Sang, J. (2024). Digital transformation in Kenyan university libraries. Library Review.
Secker, J., & Coonan, E. (2022). Information literacy frameworks. Journal of Information Literacy.
Taherdoost, H. (2022). Designing questionnaires and surveys. Journal of Research in Methodology, 6(1), 1 to 10.
Venkatesh, V., & Davis, F. D. (2000). A theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model. Management Science, 46(2), 186 to 204.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Susan Cherono , Paul Maku Gichohi, Sophia Mjeni Tsenga
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
