MIGRATION OR INTEGRATION: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE PROFESSION

Abstract

AbstractKnowledge management (KM) today has become a diversified field of study and practice, which attract different disciplines and background to be co-opted or absorbed without boarder-line. Most of the academic articles that deal with Knowledge Management (KM) in some way always start by trying to define it. The fact is that, there is no standard or stable definition of the concept because most of the writers failure to look back to the history. After all, library and information science profession have been the custodians of documented knowledge since time immemorial. This paper portrayed that Knowledge management (KM) is an extension of librarianship that focuses on both the external and internal information resources (knowledge) management with the integration of technologies, directed towards the successful achievement and success of organisations in general. The paper also highlighted the major barriers to LIS engagement in the knowledge management; it further explains that integrating knowledge management in the LIS profession is a future not a barrier. The paper concludes with some suggested directions for LIS schools, practitioners, educators and researchers.