Examining the Prospects and Barriers to Institutionalising Information Literacy as a Credit-Bearing Course for First-Year Students at Lira University: A Mixed-Methods Convergent Study

This study investigated the Prospects and Barriers of Institutionalising Information Literacy as a Credit Course in First-Year Programmes at Lira University. The study was motivated by the perceived deficiency of information literacy (IL) skills among first-year students, which many respondents associated with difficulties in academic research, effective information use, and independent learning. A mixed-methods approach with a convergent research design was employed, targeting 190 students selected through proportionate stratified sampling and purposively selected Head of Departments (HoDs). Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews and analysed through descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings revealed strong support for embedding IL into first-year programmes, as it was perceived to enhance students’ research competence, information retrieval, ethical resource use, and overall academic confidence. Orientation sessions were rated as highly valuable entry points for IL training. However, several barriers hindered full integration, including inadequate institutional support, limited ICT infrastructure, low awareness of IL initiatives, insufficient staff capacity, and ineffective promotion of library services. Overreliance on online sources and heavy academic workloads further constrained student engagement in IL activities. The study concludes that integrating IL as a credit-bearing course would address key skill gaps and better prepare students for academic and lifelong learning. It recommends institutional commitment to IL awareness, infrastructure improvement, staff development, and formal inclusion of IL in the first-year curriculum to nurture independent, research-oriented, and critical thinkers.