Library & Information Systems Consulting · Nairobi, Kenya
A library built, organized or restored to a working standard.
I plan, build and maintain libraries and digital resource centres for firms, individuals, institutions and libraries that already exist but no longer work the way they should. Every capability is available on its own, or as one managed engagement.
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Services
Pick a book from the shelf
Each book is one service a librarian can take on. Hover or focus a book to preview it, then select it to open and turn the pages.
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I — WHERE YOU'RE STARTING FROM
Two starting points. One process.
Select the one that describes your situation. The work, the sequence and the system both lead to are different — this shows you exactly which applies.
Restoring and running an existing collection
- Cataloguing & classification
- Indexing
- Weeding — removing outdated or damaged material
- Reorganizing & shelving
- Adding new collections
- Installing & maintaining systems — Koha, DSpace
Available as individual services, or as one engagement that takes the library from its current state to a fully working one.
Request a proposal for this pathBuilding a collection from scratch
- Defining the field and scope of the collection
- Inventory & needs analysis
- Purchasing
- Receiving & cataloguing
- Classification, organizing & shelving
- Setting up the space for use, and staff training on best practice
Available as individual services, or as one engagement from a blank room to a library your team can run.
Request a proposal for this pathII — SYSTEMS I IMPLEMENT
The software behind the shelf
Koha
Open-source library management system — cataloguing, circulation, member records and reporting. Suited to schools, firms and institutional libraries of most sizes.
DSpace
Open-source repository platform for digital archives and e-resources — built for organizations managing digitized records, institutional documents and born-digital material.
III — TRACK RECORD
Public-sector systems experience
Prior to independent practice, I managed library, records and information systems within ICT functions at two public-sector institutions:
Kenya School of Government
Library / Information Systems- Library systems support
- Information organization
- Digital information management
Office of the Registrar of Political Parties
Information / ICT Systems- Koha systems support
- Information management
- Digitization
IV — WHO THIS IS FOR
Built for the organization you actually run
Firms & offices
Law, consulting and corporate reference libraries that staff rely on daily.
Individuals
Personal and family collections organized to a usable standard.
Existing libraries
Public, school or institutional libraries that need cleanup, system work or expansion.
New collections
Organizations building a library or resource centre for the first time.
V — FROM DISCOVERY TO SOLUTION
How an engagement runs
Discover
Identify which of the two paths applies, and what you actually need.
Assess
Inventory what exists, or define the scope of what's being built.
Plan
A written proposal — scope, system, timeline, investment.
Build
Catalogue, classify, organize, shelve, digitize, configure the system.
Verify
Review the finished library or system with you before it goes live.
Sustain
Train your team, hand over documentation, remain available after.
VI — ENGAGEMENT TIERS
Clear starting prices. Institutions are scoped by assessment.
Smaller, well-defined jobs have published starting prices. Institution-wide work is priced by scope, scale and complexity after an assessment.
- Stock-taking and inventory managementFrom KES 13,000
- Library system setup and support (Koha or DSpace)From KES 32,500
- E-resource managementFrom KES 39,000
Larger engagements fall into one of three tiers:
Assessment & Roadmap
A structured audit of your current library, archive or e-resource position, with a written roadmap and phased recommendations.
Implementation
Cataloguing, classification, system build-out on Koha or DSpace, migration, digitization and staff training, delivered against the agreed roadmap.
Enterprise & Multi-Site
Ongoing system governance, maintenance and expansion across multiple branches, campuses or departments.
Every engagement begins with an assessment. You receive a written proposal with a defined scope and investment before any commitment.
VII — SEE IT IN PRACTICE
A worked example, and some reading
These open on the main OnlineWorker site. Use your browser's back button to return here.
Koha LMS training & setup
Installing Koha, preparing the catalogue and training staff to run it day to day.
Read the case study ARTICLEHow digital libraries shape the future
Why the library's job is widening from quiet repository to community hub.
Read the article ARTICLEAI in libraries: disruption or opportunity?
Where AI helps with search and cataloguing, and where a librarian still decides.
Read the articleAlso need a website for your library, firm or institution? See OnlineWorker Studio.
"Really great support setting up our new offices in Westlands. All the hardware issues were as smooth as butter."
VIII — QUESTIONS
Common questions
Can I hire you for just one part, like weeding or cataloguing?
Yes. Every capability listed is available individually, or combined into one engagement.
Do you work with libraries that already have a system installed?
Yes. Existing Koha or DSpace installations can be audited, cleaned up and maintained, not just set up from new.
Do you work with individuals, not just institutions?
Yes, at a smaller scale. For institutional clients — universities, NGOs, government bodies, firms and corporations — engagements run through the assessment-based tiers above.
Which systems do you support?
Koha for library management and circulation, and DSpace for digital repositories and e-resource archives.
How is the investment determined?
By the scope, scale and complexity of the engagement. You receive a written proposal after a structured assessment, before anything starts.
IX — REQUEST A PROPOSAL
Start with an assessment
Tell me which path applies and what isn't working. I reply within one working day.
- ngugiherman18@gmail.comEmail
- +254 795 107 114Direct line
- Schedule a 30-minute consultationNo obligation
- WhatsAppFor a faster first reply