Communities of Practice in an academic library: a run on the wild side? Presentation by Johann van Wyk at the 5th ICAHIS Conference held on 4-7 July 2005 at Onderstepoort, University of Pretoria, South Africa

1. Communities of Practice in
an academic library: a run
on the wild side?
Presentation by Johann van Wyk at the
Knowledge Management Practitioners Group
Meeting on 12 July 2005 in Pretoria,
South Africa
Background: http://www.cheetahscats.com

2. Introduction

3. Knowledge
• Explicit knowledge
• Tacit knowledge

4. Overview
•
•
•
•
Knowledge Management
Learning Organisation
Communities of Practice (CoPs)
CoPs in an Academic Library: Case
Study: Academic Information Service,
University of Pretoria

5. Communities
of Practice
Knowledge
Management
Learning
Organisations

6. Knowledge Management
• Definition:
- Utilisation and exploitation of all
knowledge assets of organisation
- Including all its info and its unarticulated
experience and expertise
- Ensure sustainability and competitive
advantage

7. KM Definition (Cont.)
- Utilises its culture, processes and
infrastructure to
- Create, identify, capture, share, use & reuse knowledge
- Adding optimal value to client’s
knowledge base

8. Learning organisation
• Definition:
“An organisation that can identify, develop
and utilize its tacit and explicit knowledge
capabilities, enabling the organisation to
expand its capacity to learn and grow, and
to
modify its behaviour to reflect new
knowledge and insights, and in doing so to
improve its performance and success”.

9. Communities of Practice (CoPs)
• Background:
- Social groups: e.g. Drinking clubs, Roman
Collegia, Guilds, Caste System in India,
regiments, old-boy-networks, peer groups and
gangs.
- Academic groups: e.g. Royal Society, American
Philosophical Society
- Informal Academic Groups: Invisible Colleges
- Xerox: Communities of Professionals
- Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger

10. What is a Community of
Practice?
“A Community of Practice is a network
of people emerging spontaneously,
and
held together by informal relationships
and common purpose, that share
common knowledge or a specific
domain, expertise and tools, and learn
from one another”.

11. Communities
of Practice
Knowledge
Management
Learning
Organisations

12. Capturing knowledge through
CoPs
• Storytelling
• Role-play/simulations

13. Capturing knowledge through CoPs
(Cont.)
• Knowledge Mapping
orgnet.com

14. Case Study:
Academic Information Service
(AIS), University of Pretoria,
South Africa
• Background
• Respondents
• Method: Literature study and Interviews

15. CoPs identified in the AIS

16. Cross Organisational CoPs
AIS
Government
Department
CoP
Other library
Academic
department at
other University
Academic
Department

17. Knowledge Management
Practitioners Group of Pretoria
• http://www.kmpg.org

18. GCATS (GAELIC Cataloguers)

19. Maritime Archaeology Group
Lecturer
Students
Maritime
Archaeology
Researchers
from
Cape Town
Information
Specialist

20. Virtual Group on
Water Research

21. Virtual Group on Architecture

22. African Goats Group

23. Internal CoPs in the AIS

24. Information Specialists Group
Law
Economic and
Management
Sciences
Medical
Sciences
Theology &
Sociological
Sciences
Natural & Agric.
Sciences
and Engineering
Information
Specialists
Group
General
Humanities
Groenkloof
(Education)
Veterinary
sciences

25. Digital Repositories Group

26. Informal Network for
E-Information Experts

27. Stages in development of a CoP

28. Potential
Definition
The possibility for the formation
of a community exists.
Fundamental function
Connection.
Possible role of information
specialist/librarian
Identify suitable candidates to
join;
Market CoP to potential
members;
Identify existing communities;
Sell CoP to management for
support;
Conduct interviews and facilitate
group dialogue;
Act as Community Champion or
coach a Community champion.

29. Formation
Definition
The members come together,
form a community and set out its
operating principles.
Fundamental function
Capturing memory, context
creation and structuring.
Possible role of information
specialist/librarian
Act as facilitator;
Set up, facilitate and document
informal meetings;
Map knowledge flows and
knowledge relationships;
Build group identity by setting up
a homepage or designing a virtual
workspace.

30. Commitment
Definition
The community executes and
improves its processes.
Fundamental function
Access and learning.
Possible role of information
specialist/librarian
Design knowledge capture and
documentation systems;
Design, convene and facilitate
seminars and conferences;
Develop support strategies for the
group learning agenda.

31. Active
Definition
The community understands and
demonstrates benefits from
knowledge sharing and the collective
work of the community.
Fundamental function
Collaboration.
Possible role of information
specialist/librarian
Encourage
members
to
stay
committed;
Make online links to members'
papers;
Publish stories on individuals or
communities in newsletters or other
corporate-wide publications;
Address organizational issues that
are helping or hindering activity;
Help negotiate role of CoP in
organizational decision-making;
Forge linkages with other groups and
communities.

32. Scenario 1 – Adaptive
Definition
The community adapts to
changes in the environment
Fundamental function
Innovation and generation
Possible role of information
specialist/librarian
Mentor/teacher
Facilitator
Innovator

33. Scenario 2 – Disengage and Disperse
Definition
The usefulness of the community
for its members and supporting
organization has been outlived,
and its members move on
Fundamental function
Disengagement
Possible role of information
specialist/librarian
Facilitate
Convene reunions
Maintain directory

34. Results

35. Role of Management

36. Time to participate

37. Workload

38. Rewards or Incentives

39. New Members

40. Size of the CoP
• Ideal size:
15 – 20
Members

41. Trust

42. Coordination or Facilitation
role in the CoP

43. Formal v Informal

44. Information
Technology
•
•
•
•
E-mail and Listservs
Telephone and Teleconferencing
Web Pages
Virtual Workspaces on Portals, e.g.
InfoPortal of UP

45. Conclusion
• Are Communities of Practice in
Academic Libraries a run on the wild
side?