The “Bus Proof” Library: Technical Succession Planning,Knowledge Transfer,and Institutional Memory |
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| Authors: | Karl G Siewert Pamela Louderback |
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| Institution: | 1. Instructional Librarian, Northeastern State University, Broken Arrow, OK, USA;2. Library Director, Associate Professor/Library Services, Northeastern State University, Broken Arrow, OK, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1507-6919 |
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| Abstract: | The departure of colleagues with a long tenure at a library, whether planned or unplanned, can be devastating for the organization. A review of the literature reveals that terminology for discussing this issue is inexact, but that “knowledge transfer” with a particular focus on “tacit knowledge” and “institutional memory” are useful terms. Library leadership needs to plan for effective knowledge transfer early, ensuring that explicit knowledge is maintained consistently in easily accessible forms, and that tacit knowledge is transferred through methods such as phased retirement, cross-training, and storytelling. The study conducted here illuminates these issues, but further work is needed to determine the next steps. |
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| Keywords: | technical succession planning knowledge transfer institutional memory libraries explicit knowledge tacit knowledge turnover retirement |
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1507-6919