Knowledge-Sharing Strategies among Library Staff at Selected University Libraries

Abstract

This article presents an investigation on knowledge-sharing strategies among library staff at selected university libraries in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study dealt with the following research questions: What factors affect knowledge sharing among library staff? What type of knowledge is shared among staff? What channels of communication are preferred for knowledge sharing? What capacity-building strategies are available for knowledge sharing among library staff? What policies, if any, are available to promote knowledge sharing? How can knowledge sharing be improved among library staff? The study was underpinned by the post-positivist paradigm and used the Nonaka and Takeuchi SECI model of knowledge creation as the theoretical lens. The study findings revealed that knowledge sharing at university libraries in KwaZulu-Natal was limited owing to a number of factors such as the lack of a knowledge-sharing culture, trust, and support from top management, hierarchical organisational structures, and the absence of knowledge-sharing policies. The study thus concludes that though library staff were acquiring both tacit and explicit knowledge through conferences and seminars and on-the-job training, the sharing of such knowledge was limited. It was recommended that continuous capacity-building and mentorship programmes that focus on gaps in succession planning within university libraries in South Africa be put in place.