Librarian's Lobby January 2000, Daniel D. Stuhlman Name Authority
Librarian's Lobby
by Daniel D. Stuhlman
January 2000
Name Authority
Names fascinate me. As gabbai of my shul, one of my
tasks is to be the keeper of the Hebrew names. I keep records of names
for the purpose of preparing cards for calling people for an aliyah.
It is interesting to see how some families have recurring names in the
generations. We have families with unconventional spellings of names, families
with easy names to remember and families with difficult to pronounce names.
Sometimes the Library receives calls for help with
names. When a child is born parents consult name books for ideas. When
a rabbi writes a ketubah or get sometimes he needs to check
sources to make sure the names are spelled correctly.
Each author in the library catalog must have a unique
name entry. If two authors have the same names, the cataloger must differentiate
them. The usual method is to add a birth year (and death years if no longer
alive). A few weeks ago we received a book written by David Cohen.1
''David Cohen" is a common name. In order to catalog the book I had to
check sources to see how his name had been entered by other libraries.
The book had not been cataloged by any other libraries. Since the book
was requested for immediate use, I decided to do original cataloging. The
blurb about the author of the book said that he was a rabbi of a congregation
in Brooklyn and gave the name of the congregation. He had no middle name
or date of birth.
I checked my bibliographic sources and found 32 authors
on Jewish subjects with the same name. There were over 30 more authors
on topics from sciences and humanities. None of the authors matched the
author of the book in hand.
I thought that the publisher could help. A call to
the publisher told me that the congregation was not just in Brooklyn; it
was in Flatbush. I used the internet to search for the congregation. I
found a lawyer who was a member and sent him an e-mail. He replied within
two hours with the author's birth date (1932). With this authority, establishing
the author's name in the catalog was then easy to complete.
1. The book is :Templates for the ages : historical
perspectives through the Torah's lenses by David Cohen; translated
by Sara Cohen. New York, Mesorah Publications, 1999.
Librarian's Lobby December 1999, Daniel D. Stuhlman -- A Confidential Recording
Librarian's Lobby
by Daniel D. Stuhlman
December 1999
Recent Gifts, Audio Recordings and Klezmer Music
I received a call from a lawyer about a woman who died without children and who had a 1000
recent Judaica books in her apartment. The lawyer wanted to know if the Library was interested. I
made an appointment to examine the collection. When I arrived I saw boxes and boxes containing
music CDs, cassette tapes and video tapes on the floor. The shelves were full of books. Since
the Library had no CDs and few music tapes, I started to look for the Jewish albums. I was
more excited about the recordings than the books. I took three boxes of them back to the Library,
rather than books. Most of the CDs were still in their original shrink wraps, unopened and never
played. Evidently the woman liked to buy them more than play them. I was never told the name of
the woman. The executor of the estate did not want a thank you letter.
A Confidential Recording
Think back to the mid-1950's. How would someone distribute information to a large audience
without writing it in the newspapers, magazines, TV or radio? Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman, vice-president of the United Jewish Appeal had that problem. In the sleeve of a children's record from
one of recent gifts was a ten inch 33 1/3 record labelled: Special report, by Herbert A. Friedman.
Important: Highly Confidential. No part of this recording may be broadcast, published or reported in the press.
This recording reported on the difficult situation in Poland in 1955-56. According to the American Jewish Year Book the Jewish population of post-war Poland was impossible to determine with great accuracy. In the late 1940's 30,000 former Zionist party members emigrated to Israel. Over 25,000 refugees who spent the war years in the Soviet Union returned to Poland. Poland was not a safe place for Jews after the war. There were anti-Semitic attacks and pograms.1
Stalin's death in 1953 and new leadership in Poland in 1956 eased some of the tensions between
the Jews and the rest of the population. Poland freely gave exit visas to Jews. This recording is a
report of private and secret activities of the UJA in 1956. The recording mentions activities by
months but not the year. I am assuming the year was 1956, based on the events as reported in
the American Jewish Year Book and Encyclopedia Judaica. The UJA was afraid that if the mass
emigration was reported in the press, the Polish authorities would stop the visas. The problem that
the UJA had was money. Rabbi Friedman said that it costs about $1000 to save each person. He
asks for money to save the remaining Jews of Poland. He tells of Jews leaving Poland by train,
ship and airplane. They were sometimes leaving at more than 1,000 per week. Rabbi Friedman
says over 50,000 Jews left Poland. The American Jewish Year Book 1959 reports that
30,000 Jews left Poland between 1956 and 1957. Whole towns were emptied of Jews.
This story of Polish emigration has not been told in great detail. Rabbi Friedman's
recording is an interesting historical document, shedding light on the methodology of fund
raising and the Jewish situation in Poland in the mid-1950's.
Klezmer Music
Two exhibit cases of the Jewish music are now displaying
materials related to klezmer music. Klezmer music has its roots in Eastern
European Jewish folk music. The musical sounds frequently include a glissando 2
, which is a rapid scale that blends all
the sounds between the first and second note. Klezmer is happy, peppy
and upbeat. It has an improvisational component like jazz. Classic instruments
used by Klezmer musicians are the clarinet, violin and hammered dulcimer
(This is a type of keyboard instrument that uses a hammer to strike strings.
It is called tsimbal in Yiddish or Czech). Contemporary Klezmer
bands use almost any instrument found in a symphonic band or orchestra.
Klezmer musicians played for weddings, parties and other happy occasions.
Some groups even played for non-Jewish functions because they were so
good. However, socially they were not respected. Leonard Bernstein's
father once told him never become a Klezmer musician. The frelichs
and other wedding dances have roots in the Eastern European Klezmer tradition.
The Chicago area has two bands that are important in the revival of the
Klezmer tradition, the Ruby Harris Orchestra and the Maxwell Street Klezmer
Band. Ruby Harris once played with the Diaspora Yeshiva Band, an early
Jewish Rock group / Klezmer group. The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band has
performed locally, nationally and in Europe. They are famous for the big
band sound.
Many famous American Jewish entertainers made significant contributions to klezmer music.
Klezmer music contrasts with the central European music of the Chazzan and choir. The controlled precise sound of the chazzan came from training, experience and connection to the tefilah. Improvisation
was limited. While the Chazzan may sing outside of the synagogue, his sound was always more formal than the klezmer.
The Library display has samples from our music collection, sheet music
(loaned from the collection of Ruby Harris), and other materials loaned
from the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band and the Highland Park Public Library.
Notes:
1. On Aug. 11, 1945 in Cracow and in Kielce on July 4, 1946 thousands of Polish people ran
amuck through the Jewish quarters and injured or killed Jews. In 1945 352 Jews were reported
murdered for anti-Semitic reasons. By the end of 1947 only about 100,000 Jews remained in
Poland.
2. One famous glissando is the clarinet solo at the beginning of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.
Librarian's Lobby October 1999, Daniel D. Stuhlman A Visit with Rabbi Harold P. Smith
Originally published in October 1999. Some slight revisions were made for clarity and updating.
Librarian's Lobby
October 1999
A Visit with Rabbi Harold P. Smith
Rabbi Berish Cardash and I visited the home of Rabbi
Harold P. Smith1, former vice-president of Hebrew Theological College (HTC). He also served
terms as president of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC) and Chicago Board of Rabbis (CBR)
R. Rabbi Smith is donating his books
to the Library. After showing us his books, he brought us to his dining
room. Behind a room divider and under a cover there was a file cabinet
with his all of speeches and sermons stored on 4" x 6" hand-written note
cards. He said that while he can't give us the cabinet now, he wrote into
his will that the file cabinet and its contents will go to the HTC Library.
He gave samples of the sermons and permission to quote parts. My selections
are in the next part of this column.
Selections from the Speeches of Rabbi Harold P. Smith
[Quoted with Rabbi Smith's permission]
Delivered at the Annual Banquet of Hebrew Theological
College 1980
[Rabbi Smith talks about a visit with the editorial
staff of the Chicago Tribune. An editor asked] "Rabbi Smith, it
is apparent from our conversations that you have broad perspectives on
many subjects. Why are all the articles you submit to us only on the subject
of Israel?" ... I told my friends at the Chicago Tribune that in my judgment
the very existence of Israel is greatly endangered by the menacing intentions
of the hostile Arab countries ... I have to write the same article in different
words with different approaches with the hope that some of your people
will start listening.
Delivered to the faculty some time in the early 1970's
... " Ki-'esh 'ehad uba-lev 'ehad [As one voice and
one heart]"; Rashi -- and that is the only way to build a Torah institution
....
Delivered before Yizkor Shemini Atzeret in
the late 1960's 2
...which reminds us that Israel still has many problems,
of which the hostility of her surrounding neighbors is one, albeit a very
serious one. Lack of stability in several of the Arab states and Nasser's
unconcealed ambitions appear to make [a] solution to this problem highly
unlikely in the near future. The costs of [Israeli] defense are enormous.
Israel can not relax its vigilance even for a moment.
There is the problem with water. The growing population
and continued expansion of agriculture are draining Israel's fresh water
supplies...
[Rabbi Smith's speech continues with the need to invest in
Israel Bonds.]
Recent gifts
A library user walked into the reading room saw all
the boxes of books that we are processing and asked if we had an advertisement
encouraging people to donate books to the Library. We don't. But from the
number of gifts we have received in the past four months it certainly seems
so. In the past month we received books that belonged to the late Rabbi
Menachim M. Goodman. His collection included Judaica (including over 40
sermon books) and non-Judaica. Sermon books that duplicated what the Library
owned were given to the CRC collection. Hazzan Abraham Mendelsberg donated
hazzanut materials including sheet music, music books and audio records.
His donation included music written by the masters of hazzanut, Pierre
Pinchik, Max Janowski, and Abraham Moshe Bernstein. Books also came from
the collections of the late Rabbis Albert Ellison and L. Feinberg.
Recent articles
The current issue (October 1999 v. 32:8) of The
Jewish Observer (pages 17-20) has an article, "The secular enforceability
of a Beis Din judgment, " by Shlomo Chaim Resnicoff.3
He deals with the questions of, " Why would the American courts support
the beis din process?; and Wouldn't enforcement of a rabbinic arbitration
agreement violate some constitutional principle regarding the supposed
separation of church from state?" These are no light matters. Under American
law the Beis Din is under the category of arbitration. Two parties
agree to have a third party listen to their case and decide it. The arbitration
agreement must in writing and signed by all relevant parties. For "public
policy" reasons courts in different locations may not enforce the same
agreements that work in other locations. Child support or child custody
are types of cases that are not uniformly enforceable.
Hazzan Macy Nulman, an expert in Tefilah and
Jewish music, writes in Journal of Jewish Music and Liturgy ("The
Greetings of the Jewish People." v. 21, 1998-1999 pages 6-19) about Jewish
greetings. The article tells about the history of greetings and the differ-ences
between Askenazic, Sephardic, and Hasidic exchanges. The greeting of shalom
dates back to Biblical times. Several pages deal with Rosh Hashana greetings.
The article concludes with the lack greetings on Tisha b'Av and to mourners.
1. Rabbi Smith wrote a book for children, A Treasure
Hunt in Judaism, published by Hebrew Publishing Company in 1942 with a
revision in 1950. This book explains Jewish customs and ceremonies for
teenagers. Rabbi Smith retired from the Yeshiva in the early 1980's because
of health reasons. He told me that he went to Switzerland for three years
for treatments and then returned to Chicago. He showed us his entry in
Who's
Who. He had so many activities and honors, that his entry was three
times the size as most others.
2. Rabbi Smith was the Rabbi at Agudath Achim of
South Shore from 1949-1969. The Shabbat and holiday sermons were delivered
there. Many of his books were lost when the synagogue closed. A chair in
practical rabbinics was named in his honor at HTC. The plaque is hanging
in his hallway. A rabbi told me that he remembers Rabbi Smith's homiletics
class. Rabbi Smith's style was to write his sermons on 4 x 6 cards and
spread the cards out on the lectern. When a card was completed he moved
a new one on the surface. Rabbi Smith was known for his friendly speaking
style. He had several favorite topics-- Israel, Jewish Education, Klal
Yisrael, and Unity of Am Yisrael.
3. Professor Resnicoff is a musmach and a professor
of law at DePaul University School of Law in Chicago.
4. Macy Nulman is the former director of the School
of Jewish Music, an affiliate of Yeshiva University. Once, when passing
through Chicago he visited our Library.
Daniel D. Stuhlman is president of
Stuhlman Management Consultants, Chicago, IL, a firm helping organizations
turn data and information into knowledge. We are looking for new clients and opportunities.
Visit our web site to learn more about knowledge management and what our firm can do for you.
This was written in 1999 when the use of databases for periodical searches and storage was more limited than today. The principles are the same as in 1999, but some of the tools have changed. I edited part of this article to reflect current practices.
Librarian's Lobby July 1999, Daniel D. Stuhlman Scholarly Periodical
collections
Librarian's Lobby
July 1999
Periodical Collections
Several questions concerning periodicals
have come up in the past few weeks. After one person wanted to know about our
collection of scholarly journals, I thought that perhaps others don't know what
makes a publication scholarly.
Definitions
The broad term, periodical, (In Hebrew kitav-et)is used for publications (print, non-print,
and electronic) produced for distribution in a given time period. The schedule
could be any time period such as daily, weekly, yearly or even irregularly. A
periodical is an edited work with contributions from a different array of
authors for each issue. The binding is irrelevant to the definition of a
periodical. Bindings may be hard cover, soft cover, perfect bound, or no
binding at all. In contrast a book (Sefer) is written by one or more
authors as a stand alone time publication. A book written by one or more
collaborating authors is also called a monograph in library lingo. An
encyclopedia is not a monograph because the authors contribute their articles
and do not collaborate on the final product. A festschrift is a book but not a monograph. The lines of
difference can be totally blurred when a periodical issue is published as if it
were a monograph. For example the Chicago Jewish Historical Society's
periodical has published issues on one topic with the look and "feel"
of a monograph.
In developing a periodical collection the
library deals with three issues: identification of periodicals relevant to the
collection, the logistics of acquisitions, and the long-term storage and
retrieval. The identification process is a combination of what is available,
what is the general acquisition policy, and budget. The logistics concerns are
ordering, processing and paying for the subscription. The long-time storage and
retrieval is concerned with cataloging, shelving, retrieving issues, and with
binding and preservation issues.
Scholarly vs. Popular
The libraries make policies concerning
how long to keep scholarly Judaica periodicals. Scholarly periodicals may be kept indefinatly.
Certain newspapers may be kept one week, others are kept three months. For trade magazines perhaps only two or three back issues
are kept. Some libraries depend on back issues kept electronically by JStor or Project MUSE.
While there is no precise definition that
would define a scholarly periodical, here are a few of the features. Scholarly
journals *1*are written by and for scholars. This is not circular reasoning.
Scholars in a field have a certain base of knowledge, vocabulary and background
that makes communication more efficient. Intelligent people can read scholarly
articles in many fields of interest. Scholarly articles are documented with
footnotes, quotes, and research data. They frequently have a thesis and attempt
to prove it with data and analysis. While articles in Time or Newsweek may take weeks of research, they are rarely
documented. Writers in Time or Newsweek are paid reporters or
journalists, not scholars advancing human knowledge. Scholars are usually not
paid for their articles. They write because of an institutional requirement, a
love of learning, or a desire to share knowledge.
Examples of scholarly Jewish periodicals in
our library are :Jewish
Bible Quarterly, Jewish Journal of Sociology, Journal of Jewish Studies and Tradition. Examples of popular Jewish
periodicals in our library are :Jewish Action, Jewish Observer, and Moment. The designations have nothing to
do with the quality of information in the articles.
Scholarly articles are peer-reviewed. The
editor of the publication or another scholar will review and check the facts
and conclusions before publication. The editors will try to make the article
better. Newspapers are not peer-reviewed. I talked to one CRC member last week
who said that he hates to talk with a newspaper reporter because the reporters
turn around his words and use quotes out of context. Anyone who was at an event
that is reported by a newspaper often wonders if the reporters attended the
same event.
Accessing Periodical Information
The three most common ways that readers find
citations in periodicals are : 1) References from
sources in books and articles that are being read; 2) Checking paper indexes;
and 3) Checking computer-based indexes.
Reference checking from sources in hand is a
way of following the trail of research. If you are reading an article and want
to check on the author's source, then you look for the source of the citation.
The author may be right, wrong, or lead you to more information. If you are
writing a paper, sermon, or teaching a class, then using an index helps you
find the materials you want. The library has the Index to Jewish Periodicals and Rambi to find article on Jewish topics. We can also check online databases such as
Rambi, EBSCO or ProQuest *2*.
Conclusion
Periodicals are both a headache and gold
mine for the library staff and library users. Periodicals are gold mines
because they have information that does not appear in books. Periodicals are a
headache because finding the article requires a skillful search and a good
storage facility or database to keep issues.
============================
1. The term 'journal' is often used by
scholarly publications. The word itself has no significance in the library
world. 'Journal' comes from the idea the publication is a record of
deliberations of a learned society. The Wall
Street Journal and Ladies Home
Journal are two totally non-scholarly publication
that use 'journal' in their titles. Some daily newspapers have used 'journal'
to indicate they are a daily record of events. For example: The Wall Street Journal.
2. Rambi is an
abbreviation for RishimatMa'amarimbiyahadut
:Index of articles on Jewish Studies. This
index is produced by the Jewish National and University Library. It is no
longer be published in print format. It is available online.
RAMBI.
EBSCO and ProQuest are two major indexes and sources of full-text articles found in academic and large public libraries.
Daniel D. Stuhlman is president of Stuhlman Management Consultants, Chicago, IL, a firm helping organizations turn data
and information into knowledge.
Note: The first version of this document was published to my web site in 2006. It has been updated and edited many times since then. I am always open to suggestions for new terms and ideas. Please e-mail me.
Organizations are complex organisms. For an organization to grow and prosper in this
information age, it must become a learning organization understanding both its
roots and branching out to new endeavors. One of the challenges in mastering
"Knowledge Management" is understanding the terminology of the field.
In any field one must have a common understanding of the nomenclature of both the terms
and concepts. People use the same words and phrases but the meanings could be different
based on gender, location, context, profession, etc. This document defines terms,
borrowed from other fields such as computer science, business, psychology and education
that may be applied to knowledge management in organizations.
Throughout this document I use the term "organization" rather than business.
All organizations, profit making, non-profit, and voluntary, share some of the same needs for
sound knowledge management practices. Even non-profit organizations must use sound
business practices to ensure prosperity.
Knowledge management is a conscious, hopefully consistent, strategy implemented to
gather, store and retrieve knowledge and then help distribute the information and
knowledge to those who need it in a timely manner. The strategy includes rules,
procedures, and cultural aspects in addition to the hardware and software to help put
the knowledge management strategy into action. The best computers and software are not
useful without the people and procedures for using them. Knowledge management is a
framework and management mind-set that includes building on experience and creating
new avenues for exchanging knowledge. The strategy includes both the technological
infrastructure and the human aspects that uses the tools.
The progression for a learning organization is: data, information, knowledge, and wisdom.
Data and information are gathered; knowledge and wisdom are applied as a result of
analysis.
Analysis is the process of interpreting data and information. One may order the
data for easier interpretation or take the raw data and use it to create information and
wisdom. Analysis requires data input and outputs something based on the data, experience,
and previously learned wisdom of the people involved.
Artificial ignorance occurs when truth is sacrificed in favor of reverence
or ritual. People practice artificial ignorance when they behave without thinking
about the reason behind the actions. They follow the rules, practices, procedures,
or laws exactly without thinking of the implications and results. Humorous fictional examples
include Amelia Bedilia in the books by Peggy Parish, Silly Jack in English folklore and
the Wise Men of Chelm in Jewish folklore.
Artificial intelligence occurs when analysis and the search for truth takes
precedence over the creative and human activities of a job. People who practice
artificial intelligence behave with so much thinking and analysis that the feeling,
intuition, and art of making decisions is sacrificed.
Barriers are objects, ideas, practices, structures, systems, etc. that prevent
or discourage action. Sometimes physical barriers are necessary for physical safety.
Security barriers are important for an organization to protect assets. Barriers are
not good when they discourage, sharing, creativity, service and other forms of positive
business activity.
Cataloging is the systematic organization of information, data, or materials
so that they can be retrieved when the requester needs them. Cataloging follows rules
and practices to enable users to understand the system. Putting words in alphabetical
order in a dictionary or index is one example of cataloging. Alphabetical order has
rules so that the lexicographer and the end user can find words. A librarian-cataloger
follows rules established by national and global organizations. The rules are flexible
enough to enable interpretation and localization. Rules also include controlled
vocabulary for subject headings.
A business cataloger follows the business rules of the organization.
Explicit Knowledge is the captured and cataloged information and knowledge
that is made ready for people to use.
Sometimes within businesses the term, taxonomy, is used for the classification
of knowledge. A good taxonomy or catalog enables the same knowledge to be accessed
via multiple paths.
Classification is a system of arranging ideas or physical objects in hierarchal
and enumerative schemes. Schemes may be based on national standards such library
classification systems (for example: Library of Congress Classification, Dewey Decimal
Classification, or National Library of Medicine Classification) or internally developed.
Classification systems arrange materials in an order. In libraries multiple orders
may exist such as reference collections, children collections or branch libraries.
In businesses multiple orders many include departments, branches or other segregations
of materials. Library classifications are based on subjects. Business classifications
are based on logical arrangements for each business. Linear or systematic arrangements
impose limits on the classifiers. The classification of digital documents does not
have physical and temporal limits on accessibility as books or physical documents.
Numbers, letters or symbols are the shorthand codes for arranging materials. These
codes help people who don't have expert knowledge of the subjects store and retrieve
materials in the correct places.
For classification systems to work they must 1) Encompass the whole field of knowledge
or business activity and allow for future revisions; 2) Be systematic 3) Be logical;
4) Be flexible enough so that new subjects may be inserted without dislocating current
materials; 5) Be kept current; and 6) Employ terminology that is clear, consistent,
and unambiguous for the classifier and end users.
Communities of Interest include the people within the organization or those
outside the organization who share interests in an aspect of the business or profession.
For example professional staff may join professional organizations to share common
interests and offer each other support. This is especially important when the organization
has few people in that profession. Within the organization staff may share business
interests separate from their professional interests. These communities may be formal
and organized such as professional organizations or informal such as people talking
to people in other departments about common business interests.
People are linked by proximity, electronic communications, printed documents,
published articles, or books. Electronic links could include Internet mailing lists,
wikis, RSS, web sites, or news groups. Print resources may include newsletters,
trade journals, professional periodicals and scholarly journals. Members of the
community do not possess equal levels of expertise, but they are associated by their
desire to share and learn from others. The nature of the association changes and
develops over time. A neophyte may need a lot of support at the beginning and later
evolve into knowledge provider.
Communities may or may not be open to all who wish to join. professional organizations
may place educational or experience requirements on membership. Restricted membership
organizations are communities of practice for experts. In businesses, these experts,
based on their knowledge, are designated for specific subjects. Other groups may be
open to anyone who wants to contribute, share, or learn.
Critical thinking is an intellectual process that questions assumptions, data and
information. Children are very literal in their understanding of lanuage and the world.
(see above Artificial ignorance)
Education and maturity teach students to examine any claim, idea, or text to determine
if it is true, partially true, false, or somewhere in between.
Critical thinking relies on a body of data and information to create wisdom which is
based on sound logical conclusions. While the body of knowledge changes from one disciple
to the other, process of seeking the truth is common to all. A mature, critical thinker
raises questions, examines facts, and confronts issues before formulating conclusions.*
Culture is a combination of organizational
history, shared experiences, group expectations, unwritten or tacit rules, ethics,
and social interactions that affect the behavior of everyone in the organization.
Culture is developed dejure (organizational rules and pronouncements from upper management)
and defacto based on shared experience. Culture is a complex social structure. Sometimes
it evolves slowly based on worker actions and sometimes change is enacted by management.
We simultaneously participate in many cultures such as families, localoties, religious groups,
nations, and organizations. One culture may permit an action, while another forbids it.
In organizations culture can be consciously changed with a new rule from an executive.
Culture can als be changed by external stimuli (for example a new law or government regulation
that affects business practices). If culture places barriers to sharing knowledge,
the organization needs to take actions to create an atmosphere that reduces barriers
and becomes more supportive and collaborative.
Data are the smallest units of measure. The word is technically the plural of
datum but often used as a singular. Data are the components of information. They
may be the 1's and 0's of computer memory, names and addresses in a demographic file, or
the raw facts and figures before interpretation. Data are stored in data bases. Data
processing is the electronic manipulation of data.
Data Mining (also known as Knowledge Discovery in Databases - KDD) is extraction
of implicit, previously unknown, and potentially useful information from data bases.
The process uses machine learning, statistical correlations, statistical analysis,
and sophisticated search strategies to extract data in such a way that the information is
easily comprehensible. Then the human decides how to turn this information into
knowledge. The source data bases are usually already owned by the organization.
Data mining is frequently used by marketing departments to learn more about customers
and how to better market products and services. The skilled knowledge manager will help
create data base search strategies that enable successful data mining. However, in some
ways data mining is the antithesis of what a knowledge manager is trying to accomplish in an
organization. A knowledge manager sets up systems to store and retrieve information on
a timely basis; a data miner seeks information in data bases that was previously
underutilized.
De-acquisition is the intential removal of items from a collection. It is the opposite of acquisitions and done with the
same care and deliberation. *
Discussion Forum is an in-person or electronic forum for staff or like-minded
individuals to exchange ideas, post questions, offer answers, or offer help on relevant
subjects. Electronic forums also provide ways of archiving (or storing) and searching
for previous exchanges. "Listserv" is a type of electronic forum.
Ethics is a process of applying or breaking the rules to get the right answers.
Making ethical decisions envolves knowing the cultures and the rules of the organization and the laws of the land.
Ideas are mental pictures, or dreams that are unproven. They may or may not be
verbalized or recorded. They are not yet substantiated by data, but may be based
on the person's knowledge. Good ideas may have a positive impact on the organization
if they can be substantiated or validated by data or input from others. Bad ideas
are those that have no ability to be implemented. Both good and bad ideas
may help in the process of determining the best course of action.
Ignorance is the state of not knowing.
Ignorance occurs when those who can benefit from knowledge are unwilling or unable
to find or assimilate the knowledge. The flip side of ignorance is having
knowledge and not having any way of sharing that knowledge.
Information is
organized data that has been arranged for better comprehension, understanding and/or
retrieval. What is one person's information can become another person's data.
Intellectual Capital is the same as the knowledge asset
of an organization. Knowledge assets help achieve business goals. This capital is the set of
intangible assets that includes the internal knowledge of employees have of information processes,
external and internal experts, products, customers and competitors. Intellectual
capital includes internal proprietary reports, libraries, patents, copyrights,
and licenses that record the company history and help it plan for tomorrow.
Knowledge is the result of learning.
Knowledge is the internalization of information, data, and experience.
Tacit Knowledge is the personal knowledge resident within the mind, behavior
and perceptions of individual members of the organization. Explicit Knowledge
is the formal, recorded, or systematic knowledge in the form of scientific formulae,
procedures, rules, organizational archives, principles, etc., and can easily be accessed,
transmitted, or stored in computer files or hard copy.
Knowledge Management Staff are the people in the
organization assigned the task of providing the leadership and implementation of the
policy for the creation, capture, storage, cataloging, and sharing of organizational
knowledge. Sometimes the organization appoints a chief knowledge officer (CKO) and
sometimes the tasks are performed by other managers. The person in charge is the
focal point or switching point for all knowledge related tasks. This person works
with those in technology, human relations, and operational units to create the
requisite infrastructure and management policies. Alternative job titles for the
person in charge of knowledge management might be director of knowledge mobilization,
director of global knowledge exchange, and senior vice president over strategic
knowledge capabilities.
A Knowledge architect is the staff member
who oversees the definitions of knowledge and intellectual processes and then identifies the
technological and human resources required to create, capture, organize, access and
use knowledge assets. Architecture is the technology and human infrastructure to support
the organization's KM initiatives. It includes physical (e.g., hardware and tools)
and logical (e.g., knowledge policies) dimensions.
Knowledge assets, also called intellectual capital, are the human, structural and
recorded resources available to the organization. Assets reside within the minds of members,
customers, and colleagues and also include physical structures and recorded media.
Knowledge audit is the formal process to determination and evaluation of how
and where information knowledge is used within the organization. The audit examines policies,
forms, procedures, storage and any other ways that knowledge is collected, stored, cataloged and stored.
Knowledge bridge is the connection that a KM expert builds between the business
processes and the technological, sociological, personal, financial, sales, creative, and customer
oriented functions of the organization. Building a knowledge bridge is the 'glue'
making the long-term connections between the functions that sometimes compete for resources.
Knowledge creation is the process that results in new knowledge, or organizes current
knowledge in new ways making techniques to use existing knowledge. Once knowledge is created
the organization has a Knowledge flow, which is the way knowledge
travels, grows, is stored and retrieved. Knowledge flows 1) Up and down
from management; 2) Within circles of sharing (such as shared interests
between staff performing similar or complementary roles) 3) Through
planning, investigation, and training; or 4) Through common sources such
as books, reports, data bases or knowledge bases.
Knowledge facilitators help harness the wealth of knowledge in the organization.
Facilitators engender a sense of ownership in those involved, by helping them arrive at a
jointly developed solution.
Know-how is the technical expression of knowledge or how to physically apply
knowlege in the physical world. Examples are the manual and mental skills of a master
craftsman or tradesman.
Knowledge lens is the perspective or viewpoint of the problem or situation. A KM
expert brings experience from many industries or disciplines to focus valuable insights or
illuminate new ideas. Through this lens the KM expert synthesizes the situation and helps makes
sense of disparate pieces.
Knowledge map (K-Map)
is a tangible representation or catalog of the concepts and relationships of knowledge. The
catalog is a navigational aid that enables a user to find the desired concept, and then
retrieve relevant knowledge sources.
Knowledge source is the person, document, non-print source, or place that is the
origin or prime cause of knowledge. Others may see you as a source and you turn to your own
sources for knowledge.
Knowledge owner is the person or people who are responsible for knowledge, a knowledge
domain, or set of documents. The knowledge owner is responsible for keeping the knowledge
and information current, relevant, and complete. The knowledge owner usually acts at a local
or decentralized level. The knowledge owner may or may not be the author or creator of the
specific content. The owner may be the expert in the subject area or a skilled editor.
Knowledge use is the effective integration of knowledge by people or organizations.
It is the result of understanding and application of knowledge and the knowledge gathering
process. It is hard to define because it is the result and application of all the terms defined
on this page.
Knowledge worker is a member of the organization who uses knowledge to be a more
productive worker. These workers use all varieties of knowledge in the performance of
their regular business activities. Everyone who uses any form of recorded knowledge could
be considered a knowledge worker.
Alternative job titles for person in charge of knowledge management: Director of
knowledge mobilization, Director, global knowledge exchange, and Senior VP,
strategic knowledge capabilities.
Learning is the complex process of assimilating stimuli and
changing behavior. The stimuli can be received by any of the senses. Many learning situations
use stimuli of multiple senses. For example one listens, practices with the hands,
and then explains. Learning happens in situations when people are using their minds best.
Learning styles vary by person and situation. While most people learn with a combination of
seeing, hearing, and motion (tactile or physical), some people show a preference to one
of these types of input or stimuli. Adults as well as children learn using a methodology
that is suitable for their condition and the subject they are learning. Everyone has to figure
out what methodology and stimuli combination works best for them and the job of a teacher is
to help the student in this journey of discovery. Learning is a process that is self perpetuating
because each step of learning creates a foundation for the next step.
An alternative view of the definition of learning -- Learning in the
context of a business is a process to acquire knowledge or skills to enhance the ability
to perform business or professional activities. The end result is the person can help
better the business's bottom line. Learning helps an individual or group work better,
faster, more efficiently, or smarter.
Magic is the use of words, actions, or reading of signs to influence nature or people.
Magic has no place in knowledge management. One must use solid techniques with a scientific
basis to change people and organizations. Change is not caused by magic.
Management is the organizational process that includes strategic planning,
setting objectives, managing resources, deploying the human and financial assets needed
to achieve objectives, and measuring results. Management also includes recording and
storing facts and information for later use or for others within the organization.
Management functions are not limited to managers and supervisors.
Every member of the organization has some management and reporting functions as part of their job.
Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise
makes it easier to retrieve, use or manage an information resource. The Dublin Core is an
example of a standard. It was developed for libraries to be simple and concise. The current
Dublin Core standard defines fifteen metadata elements (title, subject, description, source,
language, relation, coverage, creator, publisher, contributor, rights, date, type, format,
and identifier) for resource description in a cross-disciplinary information environment.
A library catalog is an example of metadata for books and other library materials. A product
catalog is metadata for the products a company sells or distributes.
Metadata has become a "buzz" word and is mis-used. In a library the catalog contains "metadata"
on each item (book and non-books) in the library. In an organization "metadata" is used
to describe the products, items, raw materials, or human resources. The human resources metadata
contains the demographic description (name, address, office, etc.) for each person. The product metadata
contain the name, physical description, quantity, etc. for each product bought and sold.
Motivation is the push of the mental forces to accomplish an action. Unsatisfied
needs, motivate. On the biological level basic human needs of food, shelter and survival
are powerful motivators. On the psychological level people need to be understood, affirmed,
validated and appreciated. On the business level motivation occurs when people perceive a
clear business reason for pursuing a transfer of knowledge or practices.
Personal Competence is a collection of behaviors including concentration, intensity,
persistence, and self-sufficiency. Concentration is required to examine, contemplate and make
decisions. Intensity refers to the depth of involvement in an activity. Time is an important
component of both concentration and intensity. One must invest the proper amount of time to
accomplish the task. People must take the time to concentrate which enables persistence.
Self-sufficiency is measured by the number and duration of responses that solve problems.
Practices are the techniques, methodologies, procedures, and processes that are
used in the organizations to get the job done. Good practices are those practices that
have fostered improved business results and continue to enable the organization to improve.
Bad practices are those that are detrimental to good business results. Data are gathered to
create information that is used to measure results and determine if the practice is good,
bad, or worth further investigation.
Best practices are any practices, use of knowledge, or experience
that have been proven by data or experience to be valuable or effective to individuals,
groups, or organizations. These best practices may be useful or be applicable
to others.
Local best practices are practices that have been used by a department or other
unit of an organization. Based on analysis, these practices have been determined to be
helpful to other departments or units of the organization.
Industry best practices are practices that have been determined from outside of
the organization as helpful approaches to large numbers of organizations within that industry.
These best practices may be reported in written sources based on investigative reporting
or based on agreements or conventions of trade or professional groups. For example articles
or books may be written about a practice that one company does that has improved their
performance. This is a very common occurrence in the literature.
Query is a question or series of questions that are presented to a knowledge
management system or information retrieval system. Data and information can be retrieved
with a query. The most precise queries are those which return the fewest false drops.
The result of a query needs interpretation by the requestor. A query may return sorted or
unsorted replies.
Relationships are the connections people have with other
people. Relationships may be between people with personal connections or those with
connections based on print, media or correspondence. People absorb more knowledge when the
bond is with someone they know and respect. Good relationships create a unity necessary to
run effective organizations. One is more likely to share knowledge with those who share
personal relationships. Building relationships is a mutually helpful activity for creating
interdependence.
Sharing is the human behavior that describes the exchange of knowledge.
Sharing and learning are social activities and may occur in face-to-face meetings or via
aural, written or visual stimuli. At least two people are required for sharing. Sharing knowledge
is a positive activity in an organization. Coveting knowledge is the opposite of sharing.
Storytelling is the skilled delivery of stories use to present anecdotal evidence,
clarify a point, support a point of view and crystallize ideas. A story can present material
that research data can not. Stories use verbal pictures to spark interest, add variety, and
change the pace of a discussion. Stories make dull speeches sparkle. Storytelling is the
connecting device between data and reality. Stories can share a "truth" that data can not.
Storytelling can help bridge the gap between data and knowledge. It also could be the result
of integrating information. A well chosen story gets the audience's attention. Knowledge
managers use storytelling as a device and tool for sharing knowledge. Storytelling allows
you to present dreams and tell about the past.
Stupid in the exact opposite of what should be in a collection of knowledge management terms because "stupid" means one has not used
knowledge or wisdom to make a decision. Knowing the facts and choosing not to use them is stupidity in action. For a full discussion see my
article, "What is Stupidity" parts 1 and 2. *
Technology is the set of tools both hardware (physical) and software (algorithms,
philosphical systems, or procedures) that help us act and think better. Technology includes
all the objects from a basic pencil and paper to the latest electronic gadget. Electronic and computer
technology help use share information and knowledge quickly and efficiently. What
was previously slow and tedious is now easier and more realistic. Any tool has the
potential to remove the tedium and repetition that will allow us to perform that which is
most human-- thinking, dreaming, and planning.
Thinking is an internal mental process that uses data or information as input,
integrates that information into previous learned material and the and results in either knowledge
or nothing. It may occur at any moment including while eating, sleeping or working
on an unrelated task. Problem solving, planning, information integration, and analysis
are four kinds of thinking.
Wisdom is the result of learning and using knowledge for a strategic advantage.
After gaining knowledge, wisdom is used to meet new situations. Wisdom resides in the minds
of the users. Organizational wisdom is the goal of knowledge management system.
A version of this web page appears as a chapter in: Perspectives in Knowledge Management,
published in May 2008 by Scarecrow Press.
* Changed since last revision.
Bibliography
Cohen, Stuart. Child
Development : a study of the growth process. Itasca, IL, F.E. Peacock
Publishers, 1971.
Covey, Stephen R. The
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People : restoring the character ethic.
New York, Simon & Schuster, 1989.
Glasser, William.
Schools Without Failure. New York, Harper & Row, 1969.
Holt, John. How
Children Learn. New York, Pitman Publishing Corp., 1969.
O'Dell, Carla and C. Jackson
Grayson, Jr. If Only We Knew What We Know : the transfer of
internal knowledge and best practice. New York, Free Press, 1998.
Rosenberg, Marc J. E-Learning :
strategies for delivering knowledge in the digital age. New York, McGraw-Hill, 2001.
Note: This is a work in progress.
It is not exhaustive and will have new terms and revisions added as needed.
Please send me any ideas or comments to improve this list.
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