Knowledge Management Perceptions in Academic Libraries

Abstract

Despite the increasing interest taken in knowledge management (KM) by a wide range of practitioners as well as the library and information science (LIS) community, knowledge management is not systematically applied in libraries. Due to the complexity of knowledge, as well as the multifaceted nature of knowledge management, there is no consensus among LIS professionals regarding its relation to information management. In this context, the current study aims at exploring how library employees perceive knowledge management, as well as which KM tools and techniques are adopted by academic libraries. The results indicate that although practitioners are aware of knowledge management and appreciative of its benefits not only for library performance but also for LIS professionals' future career options, there is a lack of clarity on fundamental KM issues. Finally, academic libraries take steps towards capturing the knowledge of their users and internal explicit knowledge; however, social practices such as communities of practice, which facilitate tacit knowledge and expertise sharing, are not adopted.