Document Type : Original Article(s)
Authors
1 MSc, Library and Information Sciences,Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
2 Professor, Library and Information Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: The present age is the age of dramatic changes in technologies whose intellectual structure deepens information and considers creative and knowledge-oriented human resource participation. The present study has been performed to determine the relationship between knowledge management and creativity among the librarians of university libraries of Shiraz, Iran in 2010.Methods: All female and male librarians of state and Azad universities in Shiraz were respectively studied during 2010. From the 120 subjects who received the questionnaires, 90 persons (75%) completed and returned the questionnaires. This survey study used researcher-made questionnaire of knowledge management and creativity questionnaire of Randsip. Internal consistency of the two questionnaires was calculated using Cronbach's alpha (0.90 and 0.81, respectively). Data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics including Pearson's correlation coefficient, t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results: There was a significant direct relationship between knowledge management and creativity according to Pearson's correlation coefficient (0.261). Our results also showed that individual and cultural dimensions of knowledge management among librarians had significant and positive relationships with their creativity (Pearson' correlation coefficient = 0.273 and 0.338, respectively). However, the two dimensions of technology and process had no significant or positive relationships with creativity (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.122 and 0.094, respectively). The results of one-way ANOVA showed that the level of education had a significant effect on librarians' knowledge management. On the other hand, gender and military service record had no significant effect on knowledge management among librarians.Conclusion: The results of this study suggested higher levels of knowledge management in more creative librarians in Shiraz university libraries.Keywords: Creativeness; Academic Libraries; Librarians; Knowledge Management.
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