Learning Management's Importance to Library and Information Science: an Interdisciplinary Approach |

ABSTRACT:

Learning management (LM) is now widelyrecognised as a key factor in organisational success and as such is ofimportance to libraries. LM is relevant to and has considerable importance withlibrary and information professions. However the wider ramifications of therelationship between knowledge management and LIS as yet remain unclear. Thiswill in all likelihood be a dynamic and multi-faceted relationship. This paperintroduces key aspects of this relationship and in particular potentialsynergies and conflicts as reflected in the literature. The paper alsointroduces a research project at RMIT University that aims toinvestigate in detail these synergies and their context. Thestudy aims at exploring the relevancy of knowledge management (LM) to libraryand information science (LIS). Besides the review of relevant literature, thestudy has conducted an online survey of LM education programs offered bydifferent schools of the world. An interdisciplinary approach of LM educationis analysed to find its link with LIS. Aftera random search of LM education programs, 30 graduate programs are investigatedto identify leading academic and professional disciplines contributing to thepromotion of LM education and research, and also to examine the extent andscope of LM education with special reference to LIS schools. Thesurvey finds that the highest number of LM graduate programs originated fromLIS/Information Management (IM) followed by computing/engineering and businessand management. The convergent course titles and wide range of LM skills andcompetencies clearly indicate its interdisciplinary nature. Finally, the paperexplores some areas where both LIS and LM can contribute to each other andencourages LM implication in LIS education and library practices.