Kuhlthau's "The Role of Experience in the Information Search Process of an Early Career Information Worker: Perceptions of Uncertainty, Complexity, Construction, and Sources" deals with the evolution of the professional in terms of his/her ability to and expectations with the search process.
Her main discovery is that people have different skills, ambitions, and tasks depending on their level of experience. The novice in a job deals with uncertainty and complexity (Kuhlthau 1999, pg. 403). While they may have the same sources and even roles as experienced workers, the novices use the sources and do their tasks different. As they become accustomed to their job, these complex tasks become routine. What struck me the most in this article was that it is the "perception of complexity" that creates uncertainty; in reality, a task can actually be quite simple or easy (Kuhlthau 1999, pg. 407). Here I can see where a librarian can help: having a person to oversee and direct an action (such as a search), this perception of complexity can be eased. Kuhlthau discusses this; novices relied on the help of mediators to assist them learn their tasks and overcome difficulties. In this sense, mediators, who were simply more experienced workers, had relationships with novices that reminded me of those within the information grounds studied by Pettigrew. Like the nurses and seniors in the chiropody clinic, knowledge was shared not only about health problems, but about topics that the nurses simply had more experience with, such as services for seniors.
The workplace can be a community of knowledge. In "Knowledge Management," McInerney calls it a "knowledge culture." Like Pettigrew's information ground, a knowledge culture encourages learning and sharing of knowledge. Also like an information ground, a knowledge culture requires trust and sociability to function: people must feel secure that they can speak without reprisal (McInerney 2002, pg. 1014). In fact, these two terms and ideas are almost interchangeable, with only one slight difference that I could see: an information ground can be spontaneous and form without outside forces encouraging it, while a knowledge culture, since it is in terms of a workplace, can be structured by the management.
To develop knowledge culture within an organization, McInerney discusses the theory of knowledge management: "an effort to increase useful knowledge within the organization. Ways to do this include encouraging communication, offering opportunities to learn, and promoting the sharing of appropriate knowledge artifacts" (McInerney 2002, pg.1014). Once again, I'm struck at how obvious this observation is. People in an enclosed area are going to talk to one another; that's simply human behavior. And if that enclosed area is their work place, they're probably going to discuss matters relating to work. If they enjoy their job to some degree, they might discuss ways they're trying to improve or help the company. However, I do agree with McInerney that it is important for management to create a dynamic and innovative environment for their workers. Having worked a number of jobs before coming to graduate school, I've had bosses who seem to be actively fighting against their workers.
Libraries can embrace these ideas not only to improve the workplace situations for their own staff, but for their patrons. By understanding that communication and knowledge can be nurtured in environments where trust, rewards, accountability, and flexibility are elements that are encouraged and propagated. For example, a library could create what Pettigrew would call an information ground by grouping computers together in clusters and allowing people to communicate while using the machines, which might encourage them to help one another with whatever work or questions they might have.
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