Libraries that learn : keys to managing organizational knowledge

Title:

ISBN:

9780838918319

Publication:

Chicago : ALA Editions, 2019.

Physical Description:

xi, 168 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Contents:

Part 1. Overview and context -- Histories, theories, and perspectives of knowledge management / Spencer Acadia -- Challenges and issues in managing organizational knowledge / Spencer Acadia and Jennifer A. Bartlett -- Conceptual and technological tools for knowledge management / Jennifer A. Bartlett and Spencer Acadia -- Predicting the future of knowledge management / H. Frank Cervone -- Part 2. Case studies -- Chaos controlled: a special library's approach to knowledge management / Linna R. Agne and Debra P. Brookhart -- Fostering knowledge sharing among liaison librarians / Diana Dill and Alice Kalinowski -- Managing knowledge, managing change: an interim leadership experience / Rachael Dreyer and Jennie Levine Knies -- Using LibAnswers to create an internal staff handbook / Jeremiah Paschke-Wood and Anne E. Wilson -- From wiki to blog: an academic library's journey to a collaborative knowledge management system / Junior Tidal -- Securing knowledge before employee departure: do wikis work? / Nancy J. Weiner.

Subject Term:

Libraries -- Information technology.

Knowledge management.

Libraries -- Information resources management.

Organizational learning.

Communication in library administration.

Libraries -- Information technology -- United States -- Case studies.

Knowledge management -- United States -- Case studies.

Communication in library administration. (OCoLC)fst00870165

Knowledge management. (OCoLC)fst00988184

Libraries -- Information technology. (OCoLC)fst00997410

Organizational learning. (OCoLC)fst01047870

Geographic Term:

United States.

Genre:

Case studies.

Local Subject:

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE COLLECTION

Added Author:

Bartlett, Jennifer A.

Acadia, Spencer

Available:

Library	Call Number	Material Type	Status
Searching... State Library of Oregon	025 Libra	4-Week Loan	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Sharing organizational knowledge supports onboarding, coaching, mentoring, and the day-to-day smooth functioning of the workplace. So why are the procedures, policies, and best practices for your organization often so hard to find? Although the term "knowledge management" might conjure up images of a bureaucratic labyrinth, essentially it means getting the right information to the right people at the right time. A lot of that information is embedded in work practices or may be siloed where it can't easily be shared; managing it successfully hinges on effective communication with every person on your team. This book surveys approaches to knowledge management (KM) that address hierarchical power structures and internal competition to get measurable results. With insights drawn from six case studies at academic and special libraries, in this book you'll find guidance on such topics as

demystifying KM by reframing the concept to reflect organizational needs; the six elements of an actionable knowledge audit; how to harvest insights from staff at all levels of the organization; ten characteristics that define effective communities of practice; enabling KM through platforms like WordPress, Google Drive, and Dropbox or by adapting library tools like LibAnswers or ArchiveSpace; fostering knowledge sharing among liaison librarians; how interim administrators can develop a KM plan; sharing tacit knowledge with storytelling; and methods for securing knowledge before employee departure.

Your library already contains organizational knowledge--both in your employees and in your institution; this book will lead you towards guiding, fostering, and organizing that knowledge for improved organizational fitness.

Reviews (2)

Choice Review

This is ALA's first book devoted exclusively to applying knowledge management practices to libraries. The four essays in part 1 provide a tutorial on knowledge management. Because of the confusion in library science about the difference between information management and knowledge management, this section focuses on distinguishing between the two. In part 2, professional librarians provide case studies of implementation of knowledge management systems. Libraries involved in these six case studies include the American Legion's Library and Museum, University of Pittsburgh's University Library System, Pennsylvania State University's Special Collections Library, the University of Arizona Libraries, New York City College of Technology's CityTech Library, and the Cheng Library at William Paterson University. These accounts will be particularly valuable because they outline what did and did not work when technology was used to create virtual communities of practice. A wide variety of current knowledge management tools are examined, including DSpace, Slack, Box, LibGuides, wikis, Google Drive, and Dropbox. This is a useful book for anyone looking to improve knowledge flow through a library organization. [Disclosure: Choice is part of the American Library Association, which published this book.] Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty, professionals. --Lisa Ann Beinhoff, Texas Tech University Health Science Center at El Paso, TTUHSC

Library Journal Review

The saying "The shoemaker's children always go barefoot" applies to Bartlett (Univ. of Kentucky Libs.) and academic librarian Acadia's observation that while librarians excel at managing information for timely delivery to end users, they are not trained to manage the internal knowledge of libraries or library systems. Downsides to this include the inability to use the accumulated wisdom of departing employees, lack of awareness of in-house data, and unnecessary duplication of effort. In this clear, well-organized work, the editors assert that harnessing knowledge management (KM) is crucial to libraries remaining relevant. Part I provides an overview of KM, while Part II consists of case studies of how KM strategies can transform workplace culture. Teamwork and collaboration are key to the success of organizational KM projects. Territoriality over silos of data is one of the challenges to overcome, requiring staff buy-in to develop a climate of collegial knowledge-sharing. VERDICT Administrators seeking ways to achieve more efficient staff time and streamlined access to internal data will appreciate this title; pair with Leda Bultrini's Knowledge Management in Libraries and Organizations, which provides an international perspective.--Betty J. Glass, emerita, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Reno