Use of social media in knowledge management practices in university libraries in south east Nigeria

Oyemike Victor Benson,Linda Ihechikwere Anyalabechi,Charis O Onuoha,Nkechi M Amaechi

doi:10.4314/iijikm.v7i2.7

Oyemike Victor Benson, Linda Ihechikwere Anyalabechi + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4314/iijikm.v7i2.7

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Abstract

The aim of the paper is to examine the level of awareness and use of social media in knowledge management practices in university libraries. The study is guided by three (3) objectives: to identify social media tools used in knowledge management (KM) practices; ascertain areas of knowledge management practices where social media are applied and identify challenges associated with integrating social media into knowledge management practices in university libraries with reference to South East Nigeria. Data for the study was generated through questionnaires that were administered to practicing librarians in university libraries. Findings revealed that knowledge management (KM) are practiced in the surveyed libraries. The most predominant form of KM is knowledge organization (97.6%), followed by knowledge dissemination (92.6%). Most university libraries in the three states surveyed are yet to appreciate and integrate social media into knowledge management practices. Low bandwidth/slow internet connectivity, inadequate power supply and availability of too many social media tools to learn among others are the major factors affecting the use of Social Media in knowledge management in the surveyed university libraries. This paper concludes that knowledge management is an evolving phenomenon in the information and knowledge industry. Keywords : Awareness, knowledge management, social media, south east, university libraries, Nigeria

Highlights

Emerging technologies such as social networking applications, web based forums, wikis, blogs which are often referred to as web 2.0 technologies, are transforming the way people share knowledge and ideas with each other (Dave & Koskela, n.d.)
Knowledge management is an evolving phenomenon in the information and knowledge industry, it is, imperative that as library and information practitioners embrace it, they should be conversant with various tools that can be integrated into the sustainable knowledge management practices in academic libraries
The implications of the findings of this paper are that there is a low level of utilization of social media tools (SMTs) in knowledge management practices in the universities in the southeast of Nigeria

Summary

Introduction

Emerging technologies such as social networking applications, web based forums, wikis, blogs which are often referred to as web 2.0 technologies, are transforming the way people share knowledge and ideas with each other (Dave & Koskela, n.d.). Knowledge management is the deliberate and systematic coordination of an organization’s people, technology, processes, and organizational structure in order to add value through reuse and innovation. This is achieved through the creating, sharing, and applying knowledge as well as through the feeding of valuable lessons learned and best practices into corporate memory in order to foster continued organizational learning. Knowledge management has existed for a long time, since people frequently come across and uses different forms of common wisdom which they acquired from one large-scale, social collaborative knowledge process (Dave & Koskela, n.d.). Knowledge management focuses on knowledge processes, knowledge creation, acquisition, refinement, storage, transfer, sharing and utilization (King, 2009)

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