IFLA publications 

About: IFLA publications is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Professional development & Information literacy. It has an ISSN identifier of 0344-6891. Over the lifetime, 340 publications have been published receiving 1321 citations.

Knowledge Management in Libraries in the 21st Century

Abstract: The knowledge economy is a new concept that has appeared worldwide in recent years. As a sub-discipline of the knowledge economy, knowledge management is a completely new concept and method of management. It works for converting intellectual assets of workers and staff members in the organization into higher productive forces - competition power and new value. Knowledge management requires linkage of information with information, information with activities and information with man - so as to realize the sharing of knowledge (including tacit and explicit knowledge). The conventional functions of a library are to collect, process, disseminate, store and utilize document information to provide service for the society. In the knowledge economy era, the library will become a treasure-house of human knowledge, participate in knowledge innovation, and become an important link in the knowledge innovation chain. In the 21st century, the library will inevitably face the new subject of knowledge management.

Defining information literacy in the 21st century

Abstract: Considerable effort has been invested by practitioners in many parts of the world in defining information literacy. Much of this work has taken place in the academic environment. What is the relationship between information literacy as we define it in higher education and information literacy among non-academic populations? What forces will change how we think about the definition of information literacy in the future and how we will apply the definition in all environments? What is the future role of the International Federation of Library Associations in defining Information Literacy? Defining Information Literacy

The Roles of Knowledge Professionals for Knowledge Management.

Abstract: Knowledge and Knowledge Management have emerged as a current 'hot issue' for many organizations. This paper starts by exploring the definition of knowledge and knowledge management. It then considers the partnership for knowledge management, and especially how librarians as knowledge professionals, users, and technology experts can contribute to effective knowledge management. It is concluded that knowledge professionals will have to move from the background to the center of the organizational stage, to jointly hold the reins of knowledge management.

Change of Paradigm in Knowledge Management : Framework for the Collaborative Production and Exchange of Knowledge

Abstract: We propose a paradigm shift in the understanding of knowledge management. This puts knowledge management in the broader context of communication. Knowledge management is generally understood as a means of having better control over the production and usage of explicit and implicit knowledge in organizations of any kind, preferably commercial businesses, but also public administrations. The paradigm shift in the understanding of knowledge management (towards communications) has come about because knowledge and information are no longer considered as being simply there. Information is not just the result of a particular distribution or retrieval process, using and applying existing knowledge to new problems, but is also the result of communication processes. This can be called the network or communication approach to knowledge management. Knowledge and information in all areas and in all applications are increasingly produced, distributed and used collaboratively. We cover the following topics: (a) The paradigm shift is quite obvious with respect to knowledge management from an organizational perspective. (b) The paradigm shift towards communicative knowledge management also has consequences from a political perspective and (c) will have consequences for the media. (d) The communicative paradigm of knowledge management is also increasingly relevant as a means of organizing learning processes as collaborative cooperative, knowledge sharing processes. (e) It is obvious that the paradigm shift towards communication processes also dramatically changes the way that the production and the exchange of knowledge is and will be organized in the scientific environment. (f) The communicative approach has and will continue to have a strong influence on our understanding of the concept of authorship and, consequently, of ownership of intellectual property. (g) Finally, knowledge management in the communicative paradigm - at least with respect to the topic of generating and disseminating knowledge in the communicative, self-organizing paradigm - will have major consequences for librarians' work and the structure and mandate of information transfer institutions.

Blow up the corporate library

Abstract: This article seeks to examine why the many corporate libraries play such a marginal role in today's corporation. This is especially vexing since we are constantly told how we are living in the 'information age' and librarians rightly perceive themselves as information professionals. We feel that librarians often operate under the wrong conceptual model of what an information service should be in the 1990s. This outmoded concept, we call the 'warehouse' model. Alternatives are needed which are better suited to today's corporate needs and constraints. The two alternatives are the 'expertise centre' and the 'network'. These concepts are all fully developed in the text, as are the reasons (with accompanying research findings) for this situation.