Resolving staff-patron conflicts with digitization: one library’s experience

This paper aims to narrate the success story of Tekena Tamuno Library by harnessing the multi-dimensional advantages of digital repository management, including multiple access to documents, simultaneous use by multiple patrons and effective space management, to address the tug of war that used to ensue between students and circulation staff over retrieval and use of past examinations question papers in the library.

The paper analyzes and reports the situation before and after the creation of Redeemers University e-question bank.

Interpersonal conflicts that often accompanied manual management and circulation of past question papers in the library were removed by the intervention. The circulation area that was often rowdy and noisy prior to digitization is now neat, quiet and alluring to visitors. Patrons now have a good perception of the library and its staff, thereby giving the library good reputation within and outside the university community.

The paper shows that digitization could help to resolve interpersonal conflicts often created by manual management of paper documents in academic libraries.

There is a dearth of literary evidence on how Nigerian libraries digitized past examination question papers. This paper has addressed this gap to some extent.