A Grounded Theory of Knowledge Transfer in Nigerian University Libraries During Staff Succession

This study developed a grounded theory of knowledge transfer in Nigerian university libraries during periods of staff succession and retirement. Staff succession in libraries creates significant risks of institutional knowledge loss, particularly where tacit knowledge accumulated over decades is inadequately captured or transferred. A constructivist grounded theory design was employed, with theoretical sampling guiding the selection of 45 participants across eleven university libraries in Oyo, Kano, Enugu, Borno, and Niger States, including retiring librarians, successors, and library directors. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and analysis of succession planning documents. Grounded analysis produced a substantive theory centred on the concept of enacted custodianship, describing the conditions, strategies, and consequences that govern whether institutional knowledge is successfully transferred or lost during succession. The theory identified mentorship fidelity, documentation culture, and institutional succession policy as the three critical mechanisms of successful knowledge transfer. This original theoretical contribution advances knowledge succession management literature in the African library context. Keywords: knowledge transfer, staff succession, grounded theory, university libraries, Nigeria.