Digital libraries and organizations for international collaboration and knowledge creation

Abstract

Knowledge creation relies on melding powerful technological tools with efficient human organizations. Digital libraries (DLs) provide the technological mechanisms to cross national and disciplinary boundaries, and promote an organizational structure that encourages communication between scholars who are both creating and consuming information. The DL is especially good at coordinating and integrating findings about a specific topic that is being studied by different disciplines and different nations, which is an essential component to further our knowledge. This paper will briefly outline the knowledge creation process, and will introduce the author’s SEEK model (structure for encompassing extensible knowledge) that provides a framework for exploring the relationship between technology and human organizations in international interdisciplinary knowledge creation. The paper will also introduce two models of electronically‐based scholarly organizations that promote international collaboration and facilitate knowledge creation, and will offer eight steps towards building the effective organization for utilizing DLs for international collaboration.