Information management in university libraries: process diagnosis and improvement proposal in digital environments. A case study at a Chilean university
Keywords:
information management; university libraries; digital transformation; information services; diagnosisAbstract
Objective: To diagnose the information management processes of a Chilean university library in digital environments, as a basis for a proposal to improve information services from a systemic approach. Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative, descriptive, and applied study was conducted, based on a case study, documentary analysis, direct observation, and a diagnostic guide designed to assess five dimensions of information management: organization, access, retrieval, use, and dissemination of information in digital environments. Results/Discussion: The findings revealed an intermediate level of development in information management, marked by partial progress in the adoption of digital tools and weak articulation among information processes. The main limitations were found in information retrieval and dissemination, as well as in the standardization of procedures and systems integration. Rather than an isolated technological shortcoming, the study identified a structural fragmentation in information management that limits the efficiency of library services. Conclusions: Information management in university libraries should be understood as an integrated socio-technical system, whose digital transformation requires not only the adoption of technologies but also the coordinated reconfiguration of organizational and service processes Contribution/Originality/Value: The study provides a contextualized diagnosis and an improvement proposal structured around strategic dimensions, useful for strengthening information management in university libraries and transferable to institutional contexts facing similar challenges.
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