Digital Information and Knowledge Management : New Opportunities for Research Libraries

Digital Information and Knowledge Management examines how academic librarians can use knowledge management to provide an increasing amount of electronic information to an expanding user base. Several of the country?s leading library administrators analyze these vital issues from the perspectives of both information providers and library users, exploring the challenges of selecting and managing electronic information and resources, making the most of knowledge management, and improving digital access to their users.

Electronic resources have given the library new roles to fill and created a demand for librarians skilled in the acquisition, retrieval, and dissemination of digital information. Libraries and librarians have met the challenges presented by digital resources and have moved from building collections of print materials into the growing field of knowledge management. Digital Information and Knowledge Management offers insights into how librarians are making that transition to enhance the resources and services they can offer library users.

Topics examined in Digital Information and Knowledge Management include:

• cooperative collection development
• the balance of print and electronic resources
• the evolution of digital resources in libraries
• the concept of knowledge management
• changes in research libraries
• knowledge management in academic libraries
• factors that influence the selection of electronic resources
• disseminating information about scholarly collections
• the need for a standardized method of information presentation
• successful approaches to managing digital information
• the digitalization of collections and historical materials
• how to maintain the connections between academic disciplines and libraries
• and much more!

Digital Information and Knowledge Management is an essential professional resource for senior- and mid-level library administrators, and for acquisitions, reference, and collections librarians.