Library

3.1 Regular Term Period

• Monday – Friday:      9:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.
• Saturday:                   9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

 3.2 Vacation Period

• Monday – Thursday: 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. & 2:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
• Friday:                      8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

 3.3 Statutory and Administrative Closures

• Exclusions: The Library remains closed on Sundays and all gazetted national or religious public holidays.
• Administrative Closures: The facility may close temporarily during official institutional functions requiring staff participation. Advance notification will be issued via official channels.

4.1 Eligible User Categories

Access to the physical facility is free for authorized internal stakeholders:

• Category A: Registered KSTVET Trainees (Current Students/Learners).
• Category B: KSTVET Academic Staff (Trainers, Instructors, and Facilitators).
• Category C: KSTVET Non-Academic & Support Staff.

 4.2 Terms of Admission

• Identification: A valid individual Library membership is mandatory. A valid Student ID or official authorization note must be presented at the main entry door.
• Library Fee: Trainees must clear the prescribed Library fee every term as part of tuition requirements.
• Right of Admission: Library administration reserves the strict right of admission. Access privileges may be suspended or permanently revoked for student misconduct or breach of regulations.
• External User Policy: To optimize internal resources, Library Outreach services for external researchers and corporate users remain indefinitely suspended.
• Movement Protocols: Users must exit exclusively through the designated main exit door. The rear emergency door near the ICT section is strictly reserved for fire or emergency evacuations.

 4.3 Orientation & Digital Onboarding

• Mandatory Orientation: The Library schedules a mandatory one-hour orientation session for all new trainees within the first month of registration to ensure a seamless academic transition.
• Institutional Coordination: Sessions are strategically coordinated in liaison with the Dean of Students, Heads of Academic Departments, and respective Class Representatives.
• Facility Familiarization: Guided tours are provided to familiarize new users with physical facilities, collections, and primary information retrieval tools.
• Digital Resource Accessibility: The orientation program actively onboards trainees to virtual learning platforms. The Library department facilitates continuous e-library account activations throughout the academic year and maintains optimal system uptime for the institutional repository to support uninterrupted remote research.

 4.4 Library Clearance

• All clients exiting the institution permanently must officially clear with the Library.
• All borrowed materials must be returned prior to final clearance.
• Staff members must surrender their borrower cards before final clearance.
• All Library books and assets remain the property of the institution.

5.1 Borrowing Eligibility

• Trainee Requirements: Registered trainees must present their official KSTVET Student Identification Card to activate circulation transactions.
• Staff Requirements: Registered staff members must present their validated Library Membership Card for all circulation activities.

Note: Information materials cannot be checked out without a valid, system-activated identification card.

 5.2 Loan Periods and Limits Matrix

 5.3 Mandatory Loan Conditions

• Security Screening: All borrowed items are subject to mandatory inspection at Library security checkpoints.
• Accountability: Materials are checked out strictly to individual Library accounts; users bear full responsibility for items registered to their names.
• Pre-Borrowing Inspection: Borrowers must inspect the physical condition of any material before finalizing a checkout transaction.
• Damage Liability: Any existing defacements, tears, or missing pages must be reported to the circulation staff immediately to avoid legal and financial accountability for the damage.
• Third-Party & Unauthorized Materials: Bringing overdue or un-issued books from other academic institutions into the KSTVET facility is prohibited.
• Material Integrity: Returning materials past the due date or inflicting physical damage constitutes a severe breach of institutional code and initiates immediate disciplinary processes.
• Return Protocols: Materials must be handed directly to circulation staff at the service counters or dropped into the Official Book Drop-Box (Book Shuttle).
• End-of-Term Recalls: To ensure our limited learning resources are shared equitably and remain accessible to everyone, all books borrowed by trainees must be returned before the end of each academic term. To safeguard these shared collections for the upcoming term, we kindly request that all library materials remain on-campus during vacation periods.

6.1 Overdue Penalties

• General Collection: A standard overdue fine (determined by the institutional board) accrues daily per item for materials retained past the stipulated due date.
• Short-Loan Collection: Materials must be returned within three (3) hours of issuance. Overdue fines accrue hourly immediately after the designated return time.
• Overnight Loans: Must be returned on or before 10:00 A.M. on the subsequent working day to avert hourly overdue penalties.
• Special Collections: Short-loan items, periodicals, and research projects must be returned strictly within their designated timeframes or immediately upon demand by the Librarian.

 6.2 Payment & Reinstatement Procedure

• Revenue Collection: All library charges must be paid directly to the College Cashier.
• Clearance Verification: Payees must present the official receipt issued by the Cashier to the Library Circulation Desk to update the borrower system status and restore borrowing privileges
• Suspension of Privileges: All Library access, borrowing privileges, and digital account facilities remain automatically suspended until outstanding fines are cleared in full.

The revamped ICT Section in the Library has been upgraded into a state-of-the-art TVET Technology Hub. Commissioned on February 28th, 2022, by Prof. George Magoha (former Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education), this facility serves as our centre for digital innovation. It bridges the gap between theory and industry practice, equipping students with the digital tools and automation skills required for the modern global workforce.

 7.1 Facility Rules and Guidelines

🔑 Access & Purpose

• Academic Focus: Terminals are strictly for learning, research, innovation, and creative ventures like software engineering and Android App development.
• ID Requirement: A valid Student ID is mandatory to access and use all computer terminals.

 7.2 🖥️ Terminal & Hardware Management

• User Responsibility: Users bear full personal and financial responsibility for their assigned terminal.
• Hardware Integrity: Disabling devices, disconnecting cables, or modifying hardware is strictly prohibited.
• No Terminal Sharing: Computer terminals cannot be shared without explicit permission from library staff or an authorized trainer.
• Order & Decorum: Users must maintain quietness, order, and professionalism at all times.

 7.3 🔌 Power & Personal Devices

• Laptop Restriction: Personal laptops are banned in the ICT section unless explicitly authorized by library staff or a trainer.
• No Phone Charging: Charging personal mobile phones or external gadgets at computer terminals is strictly prohibited.
• Designated Charging: Use the designated charging stations and surge-protected cables provided in the general reading areas.
• Cable Ban: Bringing or using personal extension cables anywhere in the library is strictly forbidden to prevent electrical hazards.

 7.4 🚫 Content Restrictions

• Prohibited Material: Accessing pornographic, explicit, or legally restricted websites is strictly forbidden and constitutes a severe disciplinary offense.

7.5 🌐 Digital Accessibility & Support

• Onboarding Centre: The hub functions as the primary activation centre for institutional virtual platforms to drive continuous digital inclusion.
• Remote Research: The Library technical team maintains continuous account activation and guarantees high institutional repository uptime for uninterrupted remote research.

8.1 Learning Environment & Noise Control

• Silent Study Zones: Strict silence must be observed within all general reading areas, study carrels and independent study rooms. To protect the academic environment, persistent noise offenses or disruptive behaviour will result in an immediate suspension of library access for a minimum period of fourteen (14) days.
• Collaborative Learning Spaces: In alignment with the peer-to-peer engagement and teamwork benchmarks mandated by the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) framework, academic consultations and group interactions are restricted exclusively to the designated library seminar rooms.
• Seminar Room Etiquette: While interactive discussions are permitted within the seminar rooms, small study groups must maintain low volume levels to prevent acoustic spillage into adjacent study zones.
• Electronic Devices: Mobile phones and other electronic gadgets must be switched off or placed on silent mode before entering the facility. Library staff and security personnel have the authority to confiscate disruptive devices.
• Spot Fine: A standard spot fine of KES 100.00 is charged immediately if a mobile phone rings inside the library premises.
• Keeping it Quiet (Phone Calls): Please step outside the library to make or answer phone calls. Keeping your phone on silent helps ensure a quiet, distraction-free study space for everyone.
• 🔌 Powering Up Safely (Device Charging): Help us keep our library safe and hazard-free. Please use available power sockets and our surge-protected extension cables provided at designated charging stations instead of personal extension cords, which are not allowed in the facility.

8.2 Baggage Policy & Personal Security

• 🎒 Baggage Depository (Peace of Mind): Please deposit large bags, personal luggage, coats, briefcases, and umbrellas at the designated library baggage bay located next to the main entrance so as to keep our study spaces spacious and uncluttered. Kindly note that all items are left strictly at the owner’s risk.
• Prohibited Items: The deposition of illegal, hazardous, or unauthorized institutional property within the baggage-bay facility is strictly prohibited.
• Identification Token: Users must collect a left-luggage disc (token) from the security officer and surrender it upon retrieving their items. Please note, if lost or misplaced, the disc must be replaced within twelve (12) calendar days, or a standard replacement fee of KES 1,000.00 will be charged.
• Valuables Disclaimer: Users are strongly advised to remove and secure all personal valuables (such as currency, personal electronics, laptops, or vital storage devices) before depositing their luggage. The institution accepts no liability for the loss, theft, or damage of personal items brought into the facility.
• Inspection Rights: Library administration and security personnel reserve the absolute right to inspect any books, folders, bags, or items being carried out of or into the facility.
• Asset Confiscation: Any unauthorized external Library assets found on the premises will be confiscated by security or Library personnel.

 8.3 Property Management & Etiquette

• Shelf-to-Table Limits: Users may remove a maximum of three (3) books at a time from shelves to study tables.
• Re-shelfing Protocol: Used books must be left on the tables or designated trolleys; users must not re-shelf books themselves to protect cataloguing integrity.
• 🚫 Book Preservation & Mutilation: Defacing, tearing, highlighting, underlining, or cutting pages out of library books is strictly prohibited. Users must handle all materials with care to preserve them for future learners.
• Vandalism & Postings: Unauthorized postings, graffiti, campaign materials, or writing on library walls, resources, and furniture are strictly forbidden.
• Seat & Terminal Courtesy: Reserving library seats, study carrels, or computer terminals is strictly prohibited. Please do not leave personal items unattended; library staff may remove them to ensure equal access for all users.
• Decorum & Dress Code: Users must display courtesy, orderliness, decorum, and good mannerisms at all times. All trainees must be decently and professionally dressed while visiting the library.

 8.4 Health, Hygiene, Environment & Facility Safety

• Consumables Policy: To preserve library materials and maintain absolute hygiene, eating, drinking (including bottled water), chewing gum, and smoking are strictly prohibited within all learning spaces.
• Liquid Ban: All liquids—including water, juice, soda, and ink—are banned inside the facility to prevent accidental spills on library materials and furniture.
• Electrical Safety: To maintain institutional safety standards and eliminate fire hazards, the introduction or use of personal extension cables is strictly prohibited anywhere within the library. Please utilize the designated charging stations provided for your devices.
• 🗑️ Waste Disposal & Cleanliness: Please help us maintain a clean and healthy learning environment by disposing of all trash in the provided waste bins. Littering anywhere within the library facility is strictly prohibited.

8.5 Copyright Compliance

• Legal Protections: Library materials are protected under Section 26 of the Kenya Copyright Act, 2001.
• Infringements: Unauthorized photocopying or plagiarism is a criminal offense. Controlled photocopying is permitted exclusively for private study and research purposes.

• Closing Notices: A closing announcement will be made 15 minutes prior to the scheduled closing time. All patrons must vacate the premises promptly following the announcement.
• Special Circumstances: Users may be required to vacate the facility early under administrative requirements, such as scheduled facility fumigation or maintenance operations.

Emergency Evacuations: In the event of an emergency, all patrons must vacate the facility to a designated safe assembly area. A rear emergency door located near the ICT section is strictly reserved and available for safe, rapid evacuation

10. ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

• Enforcement Authority: Library staff are fully authorized to enforce these regulations, maintain order, and guide users on compliance.
• Minor Infractions & Misconduct: Initial or persistent non-compliance will result in a verbal warning, mandatory correction of behaviour, or the immediate temporary withdrawal of library privileges by the on-duty Library staff.
• Severe Infractions: Severe misconduct—such as material mutilation, attempted or actual theft of library property, or verbal abuse toward Library staff—will result in the immediate revocation of access privileges and formal escalation to the Security Officers, Dean of Students or Director (Academic & Student affairs) for disciplinary action.
• Administrative Prerogative: The College Librarian reserves the strict right to refuse, suspend, or permanently withdraw Library access for non-compliance.
• Discretionary Rulings: For operational or disciplinary scenarios not explicitly covered in these guidelines, the decision of the College Librarian is final.

Policy Modifications: These rules are subject to amendment without prior notice. Approved changes will be updated on library notice boards and the official college website.

11. CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

• Logging Feedback: Compliments, suggestions, and formal complaints may be recorded in the Customer Complaint Register at the main circulation desk or submitted directly to the Librarian’s Office.
• Suggestion Box & Email: Patrons are highly encouraged to drop constructive feedback into the physical Library Suggestion Box or E-mail the team directly at library@kstvet.ac.ke .
• Turnaround Time: The library administration commits to reviewing and responding to all formal complaints within 5 working days.

Escalation Pathway: The College Librarian is available to address and resolve any complex, escalated issues or unresolved disputes that cannot be settled by the on-duty Library staff.