Resolving staff-patron conflicts with digitization: one library’s experience
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-09-2018-0060 |
| Published date | 01 April 2019 |
| Pages | 17-20 |
| Date | 01 April 2019 |
| Author | Akinniyi Ayobami Adeleke |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Library & information services |
Resolving staff-patron conflicts with digitization:
one library’s experience
Akinniyi Ayobami Adeleke
Introduction
This paper narrates the events that
culminated into the creation of a digital
library of past examinations question
papers at Tekena Tamuno Library
(TTL), Redeemer’s University, Ede.
TTL examinations question bank was
set up in March 2011 as a database of
past examinations question papers by its
Virtual Services unit in collaboration
with the Institution’s ICT Unit, which
provided the necessary technical
supports. It involved the digitization of
printed examinations papers and
presenting them as portable document
format (PDF) files.
The database provides access to past
examinations questions via the World
Wide Web (www) at https://run.edu.ng/
index.php?active=library&pgcat=library
EQP. At the time of writing this paper,
the database provided access to over
3,000 papers in a variety of courses
offered in the University. The question
papers accessible are for all semester
examinations conducted since 2005/
2006 till 2017/2018 academic sessions.
This paper discusses the challenges
that often accompanied the use of the
question bank and how the decision to
replace the manual service with a digital
system has succeeded to resolve them.
The discussion looks at the experience
with managing printed past examinations
questions manually in the pre-digitization
era and also, the procedures engaged to
digitize the papers in TTL. The paper
concludes by appraising the effects which
digitization has on both staff and users of
the library.
Pre-digitization era in Tekena
Tamuno Library
In the cause of preparing for any
examination, students generally revise
the curriculumrelated to such subject for
which they are to be examined. Part of
the revision exercise is the treatment of
previous examinations questions t hat are
related to the subject. Past examination
questions show the stud ents the extent of
their preparationfor the examination and
how much of the subject have been
covered. It also helps them to discover
the gap left during the teaching and
learning process. Review of past
questions equips students with the right
approach to tackle such questions
peradventure they appear in future
examinations. With the fore-going in
mind, students at all levels invest quality
time and energy to searching for past
question papers. Theref ore, it is a
common practice for libraries to create
and maintain past examinations question
banks to reduce the stress students go
through while scouting for such papers;
and Tekena Tamuno Library is not left
outinthiskindofintervention.
Enforcing rules and regulations of
manual management of printed past
questions often led to staff-student and
student-student conflicts which
unequivocally affected the service and
informed the need to proffer a lasting
solution. To properly articulate the
challenges encountered both on the part
of staff and students, a fact-finding
survey was conducted. A questionnaire
was designed and administered on a
cross-section of students to find out the
problem they encountered while trying
to access printed past questions in the
Library. The survey was conducted in
the reading rooms of the library
between 5.00 pm and 8.00 pm on
Monday, November 15 2010 because
many students were in the library to
prepare for the mid-semester test. In
total, 252 students participated in the
survey and 214 (85 per cent) had
accessed and used past question papers
at one time or the other in the library.
These comprised 106 males an d 108
females; and their distribution across
colleges was 48 (22.4 per cent), 112
(52.3 per cent) and 46 (21.5 per cent)
from Humanities,Management Sciences
and Natural Sciences respectively. The
six circulation assistants in charge of the
service werealso interviewed.
Analysis of their responses revealed
seven major problems the students
experienced while using printed
question papers as highlighted below:
About 60 per cent expressed their
dissatisfaction with the library
policy of waiting till 11.00 a.m.
before they could access and use
question papers. They contended
that the period of access usually
clashed with lectures and other
activities that were of equal
importance as using question
papers.
Difficulty in making copies.
About 36 per cent of the
respondents complained that there
were usually many patrons
queuing to use question papers at
the circulation desk especially
during examination periods. This
was because the service was
rendered for only one hour in a
day.
Unfriendly attitude of library
personnel. 25 per cent felt
discouraged most times to use the
facility.
33 per cent of respondents found
the access procedure cumbersome.
This might be true because there
was no finding aid.
About 55 per cent respondents
alleged that on several occasions
they experienced searching
endlessly for certain question
papers because they were missing
in the files.
57 per cent of the respondents were
of the view that if the question
papers were available in multiple
copies access and use would be
easier.
LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 2 2019, pp. 17-20, V
CEmerald Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/LHTN-09-2018-0060 17
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