A vision for a knowledge society and learning nation : the role of a national library system

Abstract

This paper reflects on the evolution of a knowledge society--a key ingredient of economic competitiveness. More specifically, it reviews the relevant literature on the subject in order to perform a grounded theory case analysis on the policies of the National Library System (NLS) in Singapore. The research methodology comprises three stages--formulating a model for communal knowledge sharing, an environmental scan of news and policy releases about the national library, and in-depth interviews with senior library professionals about the impact of national libraries. The findings of the field study indicate that most information and knowledge professionals depend on an effective NLS to promote learning and knowledge sharing by cultivating social and relational capital as well as the well-understood structural repositories. The article concludes that effective policies inexorably lead to a culture for learning and development.