Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Laleh Foroutan Rad ¹
• Esmat Momeni ²

¹ Ph.D. in Knowledge and Information Science, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Associate Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Knowledge management has gained a good place among various sciences. Today, successful organizations optimize their human resources by using knowledge management. Universities and libraries are considered to be the main centers of knowledge production and storage, therefore the aim of the present study was to review the concept of knowledge management in academic communities and libraries. This study was conducted by reviewing domestic and foreign sources and articles with the main topic of knowledge management in educational and library environments. This study was conducted by reviewing domestic and foreign sources and articles with the main topic of knowledge management in educational and library environments. Search engines on the Internet, scientific sites, and databases were also used. The time range for selecting articles was 1384-1404. The results of studies conducted by researchers in various dimensions of knowledge management show the positive and significant impact of applying knowledge management components with important variables in universities and libraries. In these studies, in some cases, more favorable results have been reported, and in some, poor results have been reported, but in general, all of them agree on the important and key role in using the knowledge management process. Academic libraries, as knowledge production and storage organizations, must pay attention to the knowledge management process and provide the necessary framework for its implementation.

1.Introduction

Knowledge management has strengthened its position as one of the achievements of the knowledge and information age, with the entry into the area of various sciences. Nowadays, successful organizations, with the acquisition of the necessary tools with the knowledge management approach, create the right opportunities for optimizing their human and organizational resources. Universities and libraries are considered the main centers of knowledge production and storage. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to review the concept of knowledge management in academic societies and libraries.

2.Literature Review

The results of the background and research conducted on knowledge management, which has been conducted in various dimensions by many researchers, indicate the positive and significant impact of applying knowledge management components with important variables in various organizations. Some researchers have studied the components of knowledge management and its implementation from the perspective of faculty members and in universities and higher education centers (Siahsarani Kajouri and Cheraghali, 1403). Some have also searched for this issue among organizations (Taqvi and Mohajerani, 1402; Jabbari Dastjerd et al., 1402; Ahmadvand et al., 1402; Koivisto and Typalos, 2025; Wu and Cho, 2024), and some researchers have designed a knowledge management model (Ahmadvand et al., 1401). In these studies, some aspects have been reported as more desirable and in some cases weaker, but in general, in all of them, there is a consensus on the important and key role of using the knowledge management process and the importance of addressing this issue.

3.Methodology

This study was conducted by reviewing the sources and internal and external articles with the main subject of knowledge management in educational and library settings. Also, a search was conducted on the Internet, as well as scientific sites and databases. The range of articles selected was from 2006-2025.

4.Results

The results of studies conducted by researchers in different aspects of knowledge management show a positive and significant effect on the usage of knowledge management components with important variables in universities and libraries. In these studies, the results are more favorable and some are reported to be weak, but in general, all of them consensus on the important role of using the knowledge management process.

5.Discussion

The main goal of knowledge management is to create and organize an environment in which people develop their knowledge, exchange it with each other, combine the knowledge of others with their own knowledge, and ultimately apply it. The application of knowledge, in turn, will lead to innovation in the organization. This is why it can be said that knowledge management is known as the main source and reference of innovation and is considered one of the basic requirements of the innovation process in the organization and can be called the key to the success of organizations. Therefore, it is appropriate for universities, and especially university libraries, as the main centers and organizations for knowledge production and management, to pay more attention to this issue. Certainly, in the next few years, the category of knowledge will become an inseparable part of all organizational complexes in the public and private sectors, and organizations that provide the necessary infrastructure for its implementation and design the appropriate framework will be successful in this field. In this direction, we can take a model from the experiences of advanced countries.

6.Conclusion

Universities, and especially university libraries, as the main centers and knowledge production and storage organizations, should pay more attention to the knowledge management process and provide the necessary infrastructures to implement it in this regard.

Keywords

• Knowledge Management
• Universities
• Libraries

Main Subjects

• Knowledge Management