Perspectives in International Librarianship - Volume 2010, Issue 1

Collaboration and influence lie at the heart of non-governmental organizations because they are created by people and their organizations which want to achieve some shared goals. Collaboration needs to be fostered at many levels including that among individuals, between member organizations, and with external bodies. Library organizations need to build structures of collaboration to provide a foundation for collaborative action towards shared goals. It is also vital that they understand the need to be influential, to look continually outside their own fields to see who to influence to support their aims.

This article examines the importance of knowledge management in libraries and the need for motivating and creating a ‘knowledge sharing culture’ within the library. This article also brings out an empirical account of the difficulties library and information science professionals face when they take positions overseas, particularly in a culturally, politically and religiously conservative society and country. Moving to another country means reinventing the wheel once again in a new environment; and if it is to a non-English speaking country it could be a challenging task. One could be in for a ‘culture shock’. In hindsight, it becomes all the more important to know and understand the intricacies of working in such an environment, to build our networks, hone our technical skills and the value of ‘knowledge sharing’. Knowledge management can be very useful in bridging this gap and putting us at ease and get ready for the job. The knowledge management system involves identification of knowledge, capturing, sorting, storing and sharing of pertinent information within the library or various libraries in case of multiple campuses. This article focuses on the issues in knowledge management and the value of knowledge sharing in libraries and tries to advocate the use of knowledge management tools for successful sharing and transfer of knowledge.

Established in 2001 as a partnership between Cornell University and Qatar Foundation, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) is part of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York and shares its mission of dedication to excellence in education, patient care and research.

The Distributed eLibrary (D eLib) at the WCMC-Q is a library without walls, existing in a distributed electronic environment, transcending space and place. One of its key defining features is its disseminated yet interconnected services, resources, and presence that are accessible, flexible, and dynamic.

D eLib’s strategic plan, Futura, charts the future for information resources and services and the library’s role in supporting WCMC-Q’s tripartite mission. It is a challenging and innovative plan, with eight pathways focusing on different aspects of an interconnected world of information, including end-user instruction, application of technology and promotion of library programs and services.

The ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education was selected as the conceptual framework for the D eLib Information Literacy Program. It was this planning effort that prompted the librarians to consider multi-media tools, such as videos, to compliment the librarians’ classroom instruction, and to enhance the students’ information related learning experiences and knowledge base.

Within this distributed environment infused with technology D eLib introduced DeLibCasts on select, pre-defined topics from the D eLib Information Literacy Plan to facilitate utilization of our resources and services: keyword search, search limits, my account, among others.

This paper discusses the planning and implementation process of producing videocasts, from identifying a need, acquiring the right software, development of a consistent layout for each video cast, creation of a framework, involving library staff, promotion and delivery. DeLib currently has nine videocasts available and more under production.

An assessment of the D eLibCasts will be part of the comprehensive assessment of D eLib’s Information Literacy Program.