Efficacy of Knowledge Management Tools in Support of University Library Operations

Abstract

Knowledge Management tools (KMTs) have become the engine oil that lubricates the various library operations carried out on daily basis in university libraries. The librarians rely on the execution of different tasks through the support of KMTs and the application of tacit knowledge. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of knowledge management tools (KMTs) in support of university libraries, with evidence from Nigeria and South Africa. The issue that necessitates this study was the increasing influx of information and knowledge in diverse formats; the complexity of library routines, thus requiring librarians to do more than envisaged, hence the support of KMTs in university library operations. The quantitative research approach rooted in survey research design was applied in this study. A total population of 132 librarians, 77 from Nigeria and 55 from South Africa across the two countries’ university libraries was used as a sample size. The purposive sampling technique was done in two ways. Universities were chosen and then stratified to select participants. Results revealed that different KM tools of search engines, semantic web, information retrieval tools among others, were available and used to support operations of information service delivery and manage databases/institutional repositories in the selected university libraries in Nigeria and South Africa. Several strategies were used to strengthen service delivery in both countries’ university libraries. The study recommends the acquisition of more KMTs such as artificial intelligence, simulation tools among others, which could address specific operations for service delivery and reskilling of librarians on how to use these tools.

Keywords

• efficacy
• knowledge management tools
• university libraries
• nigeria
• south africa