NTU (Nanyang Technological University) Library as a Learning Organization

Abstract

With the advent of the Internet and info-communication technologies, academic libraries all over the world have been undergoing rapid changes to take advantage of new technology to meet the information needs of their users. However, the provision of technologies such as digital resources is only part of the management puzzle. The fostering of a learning culture for staff and students is equally important. The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Library in Singapore had been in the process of developing resources and services in order to better serve the university community since its inception in 1981. The researchers were curious to find out if the NTU library met the criteria of a learning organization. This study concludes that the library had a majority of the characteristics characterising learning organizations. New mindsets had to be cultivated and greater trust fostered amongest the employees to leverage the library's knowledge assets. Individuals had to be rewarded based on their ability to collaborate, champion learning and share knowledge. The managers had to take on new roles to empower their staff to do their best work. Such changes were necessary in order to actualize the goal of becoming a world-class academic library.