Knowledge sharing and the improvement of service delivery in an academic library

Abstract

Knowledge can play an important role in ascertaining an organization’s competitive edge if the knowledge of employees is nurtured and utilized as an asset with a potential to improve service delivery. The study focused on knowledge sharing at the Thomas Mofolo Library in Lesotho to determine if knowledge sharing was being used to improve service delivery at the library. A case study design that triangulated interviews and questionnaires was used in this study. Quantitative data was processed using software packages. Data from the interviews was analyzed through content analysis based on the objectives of the study. This study established that staff recognized the need to share knowledge. However, knowledge sharing occurred on an ad hoc basis. There was a limited use of technology-based and human-based mechanisms of sharing knowledge. The study suggests practical knowledge-sharing practices that may contribute to improved service delivery in a library setup. As a case study, the study may also contribute to the development of theory about the phenomenon.