1. Introduction

Knowledge is all that a person bears in his mind; it can be his memories, his experiences, his learning, his awareness from different situations and his formal education. This ability of a person to know his existing knowledge and to utilize and manage it in a right manner is equally important in today’s life. Though the term has been discussed by many authors in the past and even currently the term has become the basis of many sophisticated fields of education.

Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) classified knowledge into further types; one of the most considerable classifications is tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is the knowledge stored in a human mind. These can be the skills, practices, know-how and personal experiences of a person. The transfer of tacit knowledge is then by sharing and communicating. So knowledge is not considered to be private but a social element and societal knowledge is the developed by the real life experiences of a person. (Awad and Ghaziri, 2007). The Tacit knowledge of an organization also deals with effectiveness of tasks- that the right person deals with the right part so as to attain the objectives of an organization. Explicit knowledge is the knowledge that is documented, codified and digitized in the form of books, memos, reports. It can be accessed, retrieved and transferred more easily than that of tacit knowledge. While it is used to design schedules, operating procedures and to organize the data records. Thus, it provides operational effectiveness and control over an organizational performance. (Zha, 2006). Knowledge either in tacit form or in explicit form is important to be managed at every organization and so libraries. For years, the academic library has been managing knowledge and knowledge resources. The recent developments in Communication and Information technology (ICT) have completely changed the face of how people used to search and access their required information. It is essential to utilize knowledge correctly to meet the current needs of users.

Knowledge Management, as a catalyst of organizational innovation and development. As the world is much more competitive than before, in order to make an appearance in it one must have dynamic, updated skills along with the technological advancements (Burki, 2000). While the implementation of KM depends on the organizational culture where there is an updated infrastructure that makes it convenient to create and share knowledge within an organization. Also KM practices put an impact on the organizational effectiveness specially those organizations where documented strategies are present over reward upon sharing experiences the better outcome of their goals in terms of growth, profitability, employee retention, customer satisfaction, operating cost, process and product innovation etc. (Abbas, et al., 2011)

2. Background

“Knowledge Management (KM)” was termed in 1986 by Carl Wing at Swiss Conference. Since then, the term has been widely used and accepted, especially in corporate sectors. Later it was entered in higher education and in library management. (Skryme, 1999; Nazim and Mukherjee, 2016). One of the early publications that throws the light on the importance of KM was Karl Wiig’s publication “Knowledge Management: Where did it come from and where will it go?” Many management theorist have also contributed to Knowledge management literature as Peter Drucker, Paul Strassmann, Peter Senge, Chris, Argyris, Christoper Barlett and Leonard Barton. Till mid- 1980s the importance of KM was more dominant in eceonomic sectors than before. The advent of computer technology was a great contributor in facilitating the practices of KM in organizations. By the time the term got entered in Lexicon and apparently begin to appear in research journals as KM related articles. Later in 1990s the KM programs started to initiate and also KM consulting firms grew. The International Knowledge Management Network (IKMN), begun in Europe in 1989 and went online in 1994. As the research studies started to begin in this domain the number of conferences and seminar on KM were highly begun. In addition, many professional organizations started focusing on such areas as benchmarking, best practices, risk management, and change management are exploring the relationship of knowledge management to their areas of special expertise (Barclay & Murray, 2000).

While the priorities of libraries have been moved to optimizing their knowledge from gathering information resources, it is doubtless that organizations with knowledge based environments are more strengthened than others. Developments in modern technologies and the high use of Web 2.0 have transformed the faces of libraries especially in their Knowledge sharing efforts. Knowledge Management (KM) sustains its importance by securing the concepts of making available the tacit as well as explicit knowledge among the knowledge professionals rather than dealing only with the explicit information. This reflects the idea to use knowledge people bear in their minds and is then documented for future use rather than the collection of facts and figures to be applied to a situation. As stated by Awad & Ghaziri (2007) this is the process of capturing and making use of the attained expertise of professionals present on paper, in documents and in databases and even in the mind of people.

3. Previous Research

KM deals with organizational objectives such as productivity, innovation, and profitability, where librarians, termed as knowledge managers, can make the most benefit of it through their skills of knowledge capturing, organizing, and sharing. While no difference in the attitude of librarians working in different sectors or possessing different genders was found (Shah and Mahmood, 2013). Whether it is a library or any commercial organization, employee turnover has become a serious concern. Hassan (2014) declares that continuous turnover of staff results in loss of knowledge and the quality of services of an organization. In such cases, the retention of trained and experienced employees with great knowledge is the actual retention of knowledge. The organization does not only bear a loss of an employee but a great loss of the time efforts they had put over it. As many studies have suggested KM is a healthy solution to the problem of loss of knowledge. KM is not a new discipline but Pakistan has recently shown interest over it. The inclination of the studies of KM in Pakistan is more from academics rather than the practical implementations of it. There is a similar kind of trend found in studies done at Pakistan and China over KM, where it is at an exploratory theoretical stage. The major trends of KM were found in corporate and education sector of Pakistan. As knowledge Management is providing a complete system to manage knowledge of organizations bearing individuals, teachers in academic institutions seems a practical implication of KM within oneself (Shah and Mahmood, 2015). In Educational environment, critical thinking and creativity are the core values which is developed through leadership and participative skills among teachers. This creativity and innovation are essential elements of KM. KM can be utilized here as an effective strategy to help teachers with related skills that can upgrade the speed, quality and utility of education services. Teachers with its practical utilization can deal with challenges and can result in improved performance (Mazhar and Akhtar, 2016). It is believed by the librarians that KM can be applied, in the reference services, resources sharing, networking and information literacy programs of libraries. But there is still need of professional training and KM education. KM can be implemented in libraries through the application of ICT, promoting knowledge sharing culture and developing mentorship in organizations (Ahmed, et al., 2018). A lack of staff training, lack of expertise in KM, lack of knowledge gaining and sharing culture, lack of understanding of KM concept and its benefits and a lack of IT infrastructure are the major challenges faced by library and information science (LIS) professionals.

While through the analysis of this study represents that there is a significant relationship between KM and OP as the higher the knowledge management practices are utilized, the more will be better organizational performance. Knowledge management is helpful to five key areas of learning in universities that are; curriculum creation; academic researches; administration methods; and cooperation and enhancement of students' results. The major issues in implementing knowledge management techniques include a lack of information technology infrastructures, organizational structure and strategy, and a lack of leadership support. (Shah, et al., 2021)

4. Knowledge Management Practices

KM Practices are the actual application and use of KM processes by which an organization enhance and improves its performance. Skryme & Amidon (1998) and Spender (1996) discusses KM practices in academic organizations as the process of knowledge creation, knowledge transfer and use of knowledge. While Teece (1998) shares practices of KM as creation, transfer, assemble, integration and exploitation of knowledge and knowledge resources. Different scholars suggested these KM practices with different terminologies but the existence of them remains there. As Ruggles (1998) stated KM practices as generating an accessing, facilitating and representing, embedding and usage, and transferring and measuring of knowledge. While Ogola, (2012) stated that “KM is not about managing or organizing books or journals, searching the internet for clients or arranging for the circulation of materials. However, each of these activities can in some way be part of the KM spectrum and processes” (p.6). Hence, the ability to perform KM practices is a crucial aspect of any organization’s performance. These practices are continuous and cyclic in nature and needed to be performed systematically.

While, Librarians working in a knowledge based environment seems to participate in all. Each of this practice carries its value and performing it increases the knowledge assets of an organization.

Knowledge Capture An act of identifying and collecting expert and experienced employee’s knowledge to make it a part of institutional knowledge.

Knowledge Creation is putting thoughts into actions. It allows to practice the attained knowledge and create possibilities of other’s learning. (Cook and Brown, 1999)

Knowledge Retentionencompasses the storage mechanisms for explicit and tacit knowledge present at an organization that are used together and can be readily accessed.

Knowledge Sharing is the exchange of knowledge between individuals or groups in an organization.

Knowledge Utilization is to make the existed, created and shared knowledge valuable by utilizing it through solving organizational issues, developing new ideas and dealing with upcoming situations.

5. Knowledge Management in Academic Libraries

KM is a subject that contributes variety of concepts, theories and practices from various disciplines. Though its concept emerged from the business community, the importance of it was soon felt by other disciplines including Library and information science where its value was recognized by professionals globally. Studies on KM started to get visible through conferences and publications in LIS discipline. With the growing interest of the LIS community in KM, formal steps are taken by the International Federation of Library Association (IFLA) for the studies of KM in this profession. A separate section for KM (47^th section) was established in December 2003 (IFLA, 2012 cited in Nazim and Mukherjee, 2016).

6. Statement of Problem

Librarians termed as knowledge managers, continuously seek improvement in managing their knowledge. Their awareness from contemporary development in field is a source to be a better service provider. As knowledge management does not only embraces a good management of knowledge resources in libraries but also strengthen a better customer support and services for their users. This study is designed to identify the level of awareness of professional librarians. It also inquires what KM practices are being performed at academic university libraries. The KM practices that are focused in this study are knowledge capturing, knowledge creation, knowledge retention, knowledge sharing, and knowledge utilization. The population selected for the purpose of this study are library directors of university and degree awarding institutions’ of Karachi –Pakistan. As participation from each library director is found essential in order to draw the best possible results, the sample will be the representation of the whole population. Hence Census method is used for sampling. This study will be helpful in unfolding the present conditions of academic libraries whether working in a knowledge based environment and where employees are valued over their knowledge and skills. It will reflect the advantages of the practical application of KM where used and the disadvantages carried by its unawareness.

7. Scope of the Study

The study has covered the KM practices performed at university and degree awarding institution’s libraries. Among many KM practices that are being performed by the librarians, five KM practices that are; knowledge capturing, knowledge creation, knowledge retention, knowledge sharing, and knowledge utilization. The study of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is not a main focus of this study but it is approached so as to know how librarians are managing with existing and upcoming knowledge.

Pakistan is one of the developing countries of the world bearing a rich history and many well-known knowledgeable scholars. The country is still striving hard to achieve its goal and to transform into a knowledge-based society. Karachi, the largest city, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, bearing numerous educational institutes and universities is selected for the purpose of this study. All university and degree awarding institutions of Karachi- Pakistan are focused here, making a total count of fifty six.

8. Limitations of the Study

Since KM has been practiced in many areas, this study confines it to librarianship. Librarians positioned at the most senior level are inquired about the KM practices i.e. knowledge capturing, knowledge creation, knowledge retention, knowledge sharing, and knowledge utilization, they may perform at their respective workplace. In order to have a complete picture, all university libraries (both government funded and privately owned) making a sum of fifty-six in numbers are included.

9. Objectives

The objectives of the study are;

• To identify the practices used to capture knowledge in the universities and degree awarding institution’s libraries of Karachi - Pakistan.

• To investigate the knowledge creation practices of universities and degree awarding institution’s libraries of Karachi - Pakistan.

• To find out the practices used to retain the knowledge in the universities and degree awarding institution’s libraries of Karachi - Pakistan.

• To determine the knowledge sharing practices of universities and degree awarding institution’s libraries of Karachi - Pakistan

• To ascertain the practices used to utilize the knowledge in the universities and degree awarding institution’s libraries of Karachi – Pakistan.

10. Research Methodology

The librarians were inquired about the KM practices they may perform at organizational level. As the organizational culture and norms plays a significant part in designing and implementing knowledge culture. Thus the practices are dependent upon organizational attitude towards knowledge management. Each KM practice is identified over the opportunities provided by organization to practice them. Since every organization provides equal opportunities to their librarians, data was gathered from one respondent from each library. Hence, most senior librarians were selected as participant for this study. While survey method was opted to gather data from respondents. Bringing up the responses from all libraries in state, applies Census Method of sampling as it incorporates the entire population and not a sample of it. The data was gathered using a web-based tool Google forms along with the telephonic conversations to achieve more clarity of responses. From the sample of 56, 52 responses were duly filled. The data was analyzed using statistical measuring software SPSS. The responses were analyzed initially through descriptive statistics as frequency, mean and standard deviation of the likert values. In this study the data was gathered using a web-based tool Google forms.

11. Demographic Information of Respondents

All the respondents of this study are the senior most librarians of the respective libraries. The librarians are selected as a respondent to identify their awareness from KM and their utilization of KM practices in the library processes. Table 1 represents the classification of respondents as per their demographic information.

Table 1. Demographic details of Respondents

12. Analysis of Km Practices Performed by Libraries

The analysis of the results of knowledge management practices performed at libraries are provided in tables below.

Knowledge capturing is a process where required valuable knowledge is identified and gathered so as to make it available for future use. Table 2 represents the responses of librarians on knowledge capturing practices performed at their libraries. It was observed that librarians are supported to join refresher courses, training programs, attend seminars and conferences to update their knowledge. Also libraries does not only rely on freely available information but also purchases when requires. While inviting experts from other institutions to our library for delivering lectures and training is practiced at few institution’s libraries.

Table 2. Knowledge Capturing Practices

Knowledge creation involves creating new knowledge from captured knowledge and by utilizing own knowledge. Table 3 shows the responses to Knowledge creation practices performed by the librarians. The libraries mostly appreciate librarians on taking new initiatives at workplace and innovative environment is provided to them. It is also perceived by the librarians that they have enough knowledge and does need to create new. Also practices like performing research and conducting knowledge gaps are performed at few libraries.

Table 3. Knowledge Creation Practices

Knowledge retention encompasses process of organizing and storing the knowledge in a manner that can be accessible when required. In order to find the utilization of these practices the responses of participants were analyzed. It was observed that Internet is considered to be a basic necessity, hence majority of the libraries provide this facility to retain knowledge while still some public sector libraries seems deprived with this. Also provision of institutional repository for scholarly output and conducting interviews are significantly practiced at many libraries. Where exit interviews are one of the key act to retain organizational knowledge.

Table 4. Knowledge Retention Practices

Maintaining a knowledge repository for the library’s internal knowledge and documenting skills and expertise of librarians is practiced at few libraries, which are also essential in terms of securing organizational knowledge.

The responses on knowledge sharing practices performed in libraries as represented in Table 5 represents a balanced view and a moderate consistency of application of such practices. Sharing of knowledge involves the transfer of knowledge from one person to another within an organization that highly contributes to promote a knowledge environment in any organization. Librarians mostly share their knowledge during informal meeting as tea breaks, lunch or when meeting at corridors. This trend seems to be performing by majority of the librarians. In addition the optimizing technology for sharing knowledge easily is greatly performed. In today’s era where networks have facilitated life of individuals at a great level, users and librarians are also making the most through it. It is also observed through the responses that today’s professionals are willing to share knowledge with others, whether with peers or with juniors, librarians seems to enhance their collaboration with one another. Despite all, low responses were received in librarians arranging meeting and knowledge sharing sessions for transfer of knowledge.

Table 5. Knowledge Sharing Practices

Table 6 access the responses received for knowledge utilization practices. Knowledge utilization is the process that incorporates application and optimization of the learned and created knowledge. Any knowledge which is captured, created, retained will be useless if not utilized in a correct manner. Libraries put efforts at large extent to create team work to utilize the efforts of all. Libraries tend to identify the expertise of each individual and assign work accordingly. It is also observed that almost all libraries utilize the existing knowledge of librarians for improving their services and bridging knowledge gaps.

Table 6. Knowledge Utilization Practices

13. Discussion

In order to achieve the targets of an organization it is of value to know and manage the knowledge assets and so as to secure them for organizational benefits. By retaining the knowledge of the existing individuals and retired people, transferring it to the others within an organization increase the potential chances of achieving higher understanding and problem solving at every level. For example in an informal setting; an employee serving for a long time period has much knowledge about the organization, its history, it’s existing and retired employees. Similarly, a receptionist knows the schedule, meetings and timings of availability of each employee. An information counter person knows the answers of each query made every day and how to help people having certain issues. Similarly, a gatekeeper knows the timings of the employees entering and leaving the office (Ogola, 2012; Dalkir, 2010). These are all forms of knowledge that people with different job roles possess, which are never recorded nor tried to organize as they are the part of their duties. This intellectualism is the key resource that is needed to be preserved and nurtured. In the same manner the librarians working in different sections of the library deal with day to day knowledge creation, knowledge retention and dissemination needs to exercise KM to secure the most valuable knowledge among all.

The experts are facilitated with the charges they may apply to update the information they provide to the organization creating awareness from recent advances and leading to development. As knowledge is constantly updated and practiced in particular situations, leaving the results and hence gain in experience and expertise of the professionals. These professionals lead towards new ideologies and even obsolete ideas that do not seem to be practiced any more. Such management requires both past and present knowledge as well as personal expertise to put together for the organizational development.

Knowledge management practices in university libraries has been performed far before. According to Cronin (2000) universities are a best place to practice Knowledge Management as they have modern information infrastructure and practices globalization to adapt upcoming changes. In this study the librarians were asked about the KM practices that they perform in their day to day library tasks. It was established that the library support for higher education of librarians and allow them to join refresher courses, training programs, attend seminars and conferences to update their knowledge at a moderate level. While a low extent of participation was seen at practices like participating in external professional networks and associations for acquiring knowledge, hiring new staff who possess required knowledge, inviting experts from other institutions to deliver lectures and training and collecting information concerning the needs of librarians in the form of books, journals and research papers. Academic libraries need to have more focused conduct of leadership and management that allows them to make rapid and valid decisions to make when required. (Balague, at al., 2016)

While knowledge creation practices are always lead by an organization where positive environment drives employees towards creation of new knowledge. While Sirorei and Fombad (2019) discusses that participation of librarian in teaching and research can lead towards creation of knowledge. It was observed that selected libraries practices to provide innovative environment and appreciates on taking new initiatives at a moderate level of performance. Only a few librarians agree that problem solving exercises such as brainstorming is conducted to identify knowledge gaps and creating new ideas. Despite, conducting research for creating new knowledge is practiced at a very low scale. It is a continuous process that requires to be refreshed as expertise and skills are updated (Ogola, 2012)

Knowledge retention today is a practice performed with the assistance of electronic devices such as computers especially in large organizations. Organizations uses technologies to bring ease as well as speed up their daily work. It was identified that all librarians have their personal systems to retain their as well as organizational knowledge. A very low level of performance was identified on practices like providing knowledge repositories such as institutional repository to secure library’s internal knowledge or individual’ personal knowledge, documenting down experts’ knowledge and in retaining the reasons for the success and failures of librarians for future use of an organization. The provision of internet facility to secure knowledge in online repositories was also facilitated by libraries at a moderate level and Conducting exit interviews and documenting them to secure the valuable knowledge of the leaving employees in considered to be a unique knowledge retention practice performed at a moderate level in university libraries. Sirorei and Fombad (2019) mentions that importance of knowledge retention as libraries are at great risk of losing knowledge held in people’s mind as soon as they leave the organization. On the other hand, provision of internet for librarians and students, and documenting librarian’s specific skills and knowledge seems to be practiced at a large scale.

Along with other practices knowledge sharing is always considered as one of the prime practice of KM. As discussed by Mikulecky and Mikulecka (1999) knowledge sharing improvises and built healthy relation among professionals, staff and students. A reluctant attitude and behaviors towards knowledge sharing may cause an organization to deprive from many valuable knowledge and information. Besides other practices, knowledge sharing was seen as a highly performed practice. The least rating observed was over that libraries arranges meeting and knowledge sharing sessions. It was analyzed that the librarians seems to exchange professional knowledge with their colleagues. Also informal gathering are a good source of exchange of ideas and knowledge such as tea breaks, lunch time, conversations at corridors. An upward trend was shown in librarians consulting for information with seniors and with peers, even there is a willingness to share the lessons learnt by librarians which is a positive attitude for organizational environment. Mostly libraries provide internet facility to keep connected with each other which is more a necessity than facility in modern world. Cronin (2000) mentioned that universities are a place where knowledge sharing is a regular practice, and the use of ICT has enhanced the process to a next level.

As knowledge acts as an asset to an organization, utilizing experts’ and organizational knowledge is another important KM practice. The highly performed practice was that the libraries put efforts to create team work to utilize the skills of all. Also many libraries performs the identification of individual’s expertise and assign work accordingly. ASK THE LIBRARIAN services and Orientation sessions are arranged for better utilization of librarians by users. Even documented knowledge of experts can be utilized by the librarians for providing better performance at work place.

14. Findings

The results of the study shows that the librarians seems confident over the concept of knowledge management and does not relate it with information management. A good clear difference was present of the concept of Knowledge Management and Information management. It was also revealed that libraries does not focus on the knowledge while hiring new staff but follows their routine procedures. Librarians working in private sector libraries seems to be performing more KM practices due to the availability of funds and also take more participation in maintaining professional networks. A lot of librarians seems not to rely on freely available information but rather focuses on purchasing. Libraries are not active in conducting knowledge gaps and conducting sessions to boost professional’s skills which was quite depriving situation. Although a good ratio of knowledge sharing culture was present in many libraries where librarians informally indulge in sharing their tacit knowledge. Also a downward trend was seen in conducting exit interviews and orientation sessions for retiring and new hiring.

15. Conclusions

Knowledge Management seems to be a practice utilized by all knowledge organization with or without a caption of it. It is an unavoidable area of professional work which cannot be ignored when working to achieve organizational objectives in an effective manner. Throughout the process of this study it was visible that most of the librarians working in libraries are well aware of the term Knowledge Management. While some librarians are somehow facilitating KM practices without being aware of its actual title as “knowledge management”.

Libraries working in a state with meager financial resources are working hard to make it possible by serving their level best to their users. The librarians, being knowledge workers are handling knowledge tasks from years with expertise. It was studied that KM practices are being performed by all selected universities’ and DAI’s libraries, despite their depriving financial conditions. The maximum used practices were observed to be knowledge sharing and Knowledge utilization which shows a healthy library culture, where knowledge sharing is done at most. Librarians are willing and eager to share as well as utilize what they know in any area that may help their users with information need. While Knowledge capture and Knowledge creation are done at moderate level that represents the lack of authorities’ interest towards motivating their employees for innovation and creativity. It was clear from the results the knowledge retention was dependent upon the availability of technological resources at the libraries, and hence it was performed at below average level by the librarians of universities and DAI libraries.

Overall, a good sharing culture in library’s environment was observed. Librarians are willing to share their knowledge with colleagues and are willingness to share the lessons learnt. Utilization of experiences and consultation from documented lessons are performed. While a major concern seems towards low applicability of knowledge retention practices by all libraries. Retaining useful information like conducting and securing exit interviews and the reasons of failures and success of employees are significantly important for the growth of an organization.