Genrefication and Reading Culture in Selected Secondary Schools in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Adolescent reading motivation has been declining globally, and Kenya is no exception. In Kiambu County, voluntary library use has been documented as low and exam-driven, with school libraries further constrained by underfunding, staffing shortages, and weak collection development. This problem is compounded by traditional library classification systems, which can present navigational barriers to voluntary reading. Genrefication, the reorganization of library collections by genre category rather than by alphanumeric classification, has drawn growing international attention, yet no study identified in the literature search had examined its effects in a Kenyan or comparable sub-Saharan African secondary school context. This study investigated the influence of genre-based library organization on reading culture among students in five selected secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. Guided by Self-Determination Theory, the research adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design across five schools that had implemented genrefication for at least two years. Quantitative data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to Form 3/MYP5/Year 11 and Form 4/DP1/Year 12 students, yielding 399 valid responses from 613 distributed (65.1% response rate), supplemented by library circulation records. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with five school librarians and five heads of language departments. Genre-based reorganization was associated with significant, large-sized increases in self-reported reading frequency, t(398) = 15.84, p < .001, dz = 0.80, and reading time, t(398) = 13.42, p < .001, dz = 0.67. A multiple regression model explained 38.4% of the variance in post-intervention reading frequency, F(7,391) = 48.92, p < .001, with Relatedness emerging as the strongest unique predictor (β = .342), ahead of Competence (β = .254), Autonomy (β = .198), and Genre Awareness (β = .131). Book-neighbourhood layout was strongly associated with the breadth of genre exploration, ρ = .477, N = 399, p < .001. The study concludes that genre-based reorganization was associated with higher self-reported reading frequency and time among students in the studied schools, with relatedness emerging as the strongest correlate. This finding suggests that the relative importance of Self-Determination Theory’s three psychological needs may vary across cultural and educational settings. The study recommends sustaining genre-based organization through adequate collections, deliberate book-neighbourhood layout, materials and practices supporting students’ autonomy, competence, and belonging, and consistent shelving, labeling, orientation, and staffing support for maintenance of genrefication.