Use of social media in knowledge management practices in university libraries in south east Nigeria

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to examine the level of awareness and use of social media in knowledge management practices in university libraries. The study is guided by three (3) objectives: to identify social media tools used in knowledge management (KM) practices; ascertain areas of knowledge management practices where social media are applied and identify challenges associated with integrating social media into knowledge management practices in university libraries with reference to South East Nigeria. Data for the study was generated through questionnaires that were administered to practicing librarians in university libraries. Findings revealed that knowledge management (KM) are practiced in the surveyed libraries. The most predominant form of KM is knowledge organization (97.6%), followed by knowledge dissemination (92.6%). Most university libraries in the three states surveyed are yet to appreciate and integrate social media into knowledge management practices. Low bandwidth/slow internet connectivity, inadequate power supply and availability of too many social media tools to learn among others are the major factors affecting the use of Social Media in knowledge management in the surveyed university libraries. This paper concludes that knowledge management is an evolving phenomenon in the information and knowledge industry.

Keywords: Awareness, knowledge management, social media, south east, university libraries, Nigeria