Tacit Knowledge, Tacit Ignorance, and the Future of Academic Librarianship

Abstract

This theoretical essay uses tacit knowledge, the often-undocumented wis dom of expert practitioners and practitioner communities, to explore fu ture prospects for the academic librarian. Traditional and emerging valua tions of the academic librarian held by higher education stakeholders are identified. The practical implications of these views for university funding and other support are explored using the philosophical stance of cultural pragmatism and by applying the sociological perspective of the "stranger," tacit knowledge gained by the author as a researcher and a faculty mem ber in an LIS program and as chair of a university Committee on the Li brary, and insights from a spectrum of publications. In the process, the March of Dimes, an organization that successfully repositioned itself after accomplishing its primary purpose, is examined as a possible model for enhancing the academic librarian's perceived value.

Best Practices for Managing Organizational Diversity

“…They must respond effectively to an increasingly diverse workforce, an expanding multicultural customer base, and growing competition for 'market share' from other providers (Campbell, 2006;Crowley, 2001). However, unlike many businesses, academic libraries are on the leading curve of meeting the challenge of diversity management.…”

Academic Library in Transition from Library as a Place to Library as a Learning Centre: A Case Study of Indian Institutes of Management

“…Crowley 4 considers this situation as a serious threat. According to him the subscription of online resources, in many cases, has reduced personal visits to the library by its users.…”

Readers' Advisory: Differing Mental Models and the Futures of Libraries, Librarians, and Readers’ Advisory

“…It is problematic tacit ignorance that obscures the need for RA professional tacit knowledge to support the goals, often learning or educational, of the significant players in the life of the public and academic library. 31 …”