Mobile Reading Apps as Pocket Libraries in African Universities

Mobile reading applications are increasingly positioned as flexible “pocket libraries” capable of extending access to educational information in resource-constrained higher education environments. However, their integration into African academic library ecosystems remains limited and poorly understood. This study examines the visibility, adoption, and integration of mobile reading applications within selected African university libraries. Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and a knowledge equity perspective, the study employed a qualitative exploratory design involving a rapid environmental scan of 10 public university libraries, semi-structured interviews with librarians and students, and a review of library digital outreach practices. The findings show that the educational value of mobile reading applications is constrained less by technological availability than by limited institutional visibility, weak integration into library systems, data costs, and infrastructural inequalities. The study identifies a “visibility gap” in which mobile reading applications are technically available but remain marginal within institutional communication, teaching practices, and students’ academic experiences. The paper argues that academic libraries require more visible, integrated and equity-oriented mobile information strategies to strengthen meaningful access to educational information in African universities.