Research Article
Data Privacy and Information Security in Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Case Study of the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology Library
Nalunkuma Elizabeth
,
Edward Ssali*
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 4, December 2026
Pages:
118-124
Received:
17 September 2026
Accepted:
29 September 2026
Published:
31 October 2026
Abstract: Purpose – This study examines how data privacy and information security are understood and operationalized in the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) Library, with particular attention to the relationship between institutional safeguards, staff and user awareness, and trust in digitally mediated library services. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study was conducted in 2025 using semi-structured interviews with five staff members (three librarians and two IT officers) and focus group discussions with ten library users (six students and four lecturers). Participants were purposively selected for their direct experience of library data handling or use of library services. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach, with staff and user accounts compared to identify convergence and divergence. Findings – Four interrelated themes emerged: (1) foundational safeguards without library-specific privacy governance; (2) asymmetrical privacy awareness between staff and users; (3) interacting resource, infrastructure and capability constraints; and (4) the need for an integrated governance, capacity and awareness response. Across these themes, uncertainty about data handling was closely connected to user trust. Originality/value – The study provides institution-level qualitative evidence from a Ugandan academic library, a context that remains underrepresented in empirical library privacy research. By examining staff and users together, it shows that privacy readiness depends not only on technical controls but also on policy localization, user awareness and institutional trust. The findings extend debates on information governance and digital transformation by showing how national data-protection requirements are translated—or fail to be translated—into everyday library practice in a resource-constrained setting.
Abstract: Purpose – This study examines how data privacy and information security are understood and operationalized in the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) Library, with particular attention to the relationship between institutional safeguards, staff and user awareness, and trust in digitally mediated library services. De...
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