KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: Role of Academic Libraries in Knowledge Management in Universities

KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: Role of Academic Libraries in Knowledge Management in Universities

Role of Academic Libraries in Knowledge Management in Universities

Academic libraries, and all other types of libraries, have been, will be, are, and will always be in the business of knowledge management. How academic libraries, and all types of libraries, manage knowledge is the subject of this post.

Knowledge can be broadly be classified into two major groups: Tacit and Explicit.  Tacit knowledge is personal knowledge. Explicit knowledge is documented knowledge.

My simple definition of knowledge is total sum of all things you know as a person, and all things known universally. Your experiences, skills you have acquired, and information that has been captured in any accessible format that can be utilized in varies way, is knowledge.

An academic library exists to serve the mission, vision, goals, and objectives of the parent organization, in this case the university.  The library does this by establishing the knowledge needs of the university.  These needs are defined by all activities conducted, and services offered by the university, which will include teaching and research, among others.  

The first role the library carries out in managing knowledge in the university is by conducting knowledge needs assessment.  The main goal of this assessment is to establish the type of knowledge the university requires to achieve its mission, vision, goals, and objectives.

Once the library has known the nature of knowledge required by the university, the library performs the second role of ascertaining the relevant sources of the knowledge.  The sources of knowledge would range from print materials, non-print materials to knowledge workers within and without the university.

Another role an academic library performs in KM in a university is acquisition of the knowledge sources identified. This specifically is geared towards explicit knowledge.  However, tacit knowledge source, taken to mean the knowledge worker, is recruited in conjunction with the human resource department. This will be specific to the library department, in accordance to its human resource needs.

Organization of the knowledge sources is yet an additional   role the library carries out in KM in a university. The organization is meant to enable easy accessibility of the knowledge sources.

Dissemination or sharing or diffusion of the knowledge is one more task the library executes in KM in a university setting. This is done through manual catalogue, on line public access catalogue, and social media.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE

Driving force in organisations is knowledge. The existence and survival of organisations is depended on knowledge. New Services and product development are central to growth, development and survival of organisations. The raw material for evolution of new products or services is knowledge. In place could be a well orchestrated KM strategy or an ad hoc one, but KM is always there. However, it is prudent, cost effective and profitable to a have KM unit in the organisation. This can expedite the process of developing new services or products, recoup the cost of production fast, consequently realising profits sooner. In practice, KM starts with knowing what business you are in. Why your organisation is in existence. Where you are today and where do you want to be tomorrow. Also important, is establishing who your customers are: internal customers, external customers, present and potential customers. Besides, other stakeholders. To accomplish your goals and objectives right information is perquisite. Same applies in overcoming obstacles, and solving problems in your organisation.

Knowledge Needs Assessment
To set the ball rolling, find out what knowledge is required. What knowledge does your organisation always use in delivering its services or products? What challenges is your organisation facing, and what knowledge is required to provide a solution.  
Knowledge Sources
Once knowledge needs are established, then figure out how and where to get the knowledge. Knowledge containers exist in abundance. Evaluate and narrow down to those sources that provide the right knowledge suitable to your organisation’s knowledge needs. Start at home, that is, knowledge already existing in the organisation. It is there, in files, databases, books, documents, and in employees’ heads. If it is not within the organisation acquire it. If in employees’ heads capture and harness it.  
Knowledge Storage and Organisation

Organise and store the knowledge. Appraise all the knowledge in your organisation. Retain or capture or acquire the most valuable knowledge. Depending on the knowledge reservoir, decided on where it is to be stored. Knowledge can be stored in computers, libraries, record centres, resource/ information centres or archives. A simple straight forward system should be used to organise the knowledge, to afford easy accessibility. Libraries and archives have been in business of organising knowledge for centuries, and they have the advantage of time tested and workable knowledge organisation schemes.

 Knowledge Dissemination 

Publicise your knowledge. Let the employees know what knowledge exists in the organisation, 

where it is stored and how they can access it. For tacit knowledge,’ yellow pages’ will do. 

 Knowledge Management in Practice