Adoption and Usage Patterns of Referencing Services Management Software Among Postgraduate Students: A Case Study of a Select Kenyan Universities

Administration of referencing, referral services offered in university libraries across the world is a critical function in library services to its users. It impacts the way the face of the library is viewed in the eyes of the users. However, various studies show that this service is prone to numerous crisis during its provision that affect an efficient, effective, and user-friendly referencing services management system. The functions of the reference desk within the library revolve around providing a point of referral for help users seeking library services, a point of referral to other services, or to other materials within the library that cannot be accessed by the users, or to other physical spaces where library functions take place, and providing a contact point with the library. Libraries have traditionally offered in-person referencing and referral services to their users; the use of in-person referencing services has declined markedly while virtual referencing and referral services has increased, and referencing services have been integrated in library websites management systems where you see applications like Turnitin, Endote, Zotero, APA as well as AI prominently incorporated. This redefinition of referencing services has challenged librarians to identify the skills and competencies required by service staff to meet this need. Referencing services nowadays may involve much more than acting as a roving search engine. Successful referencing work requires librarians and information specialists to familiarize with a variety of databases and be comfortable with many diverse menus of technologies, as well as being familiar with good online referencing techniques. The purpose of this case study was to examine the adoption and usage of referencing services management software among postgraduate students in Kenyan universities. The study analyzed four predictors: Ease of Navigation, Institutional Resources, Training Impact, and Perceived Relevance. The study was qualitative, and the design used was multiple-case based, involving 205 postgraduate students in Kenyan universities who were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data were collected using focus group discussions, observation, and document analysis. The results revealed a strong model fit, with an R Square value of 0.770, indicating that the predictors explained 77% of the variance in adoption and productivity. Key findings highlighted the significant positive contributions of Ease of Navigation, Training Impact, and Perceived Relevance, while Institutional Resources showed no significant influence. The results underscore the importance of user-friendly design, skill development, and relevance to user needs in driving software adoption. Practical implications include the need for flexible, collaborative training programs and improvements in resource utilization. Suggestions for future research include exploring broader demographic factors and longitudinal studies. This case study can be utilized by all library users ranging from undergraduate to faculty level.