This was a key finding from the 2024 KIMRA Conference, hosted by CB Resourcing, where knowledge and information management professionals gathered to explore the evolution of their profession in the context of generative AI.
The foundation: core transferrable skills
The KIMRA Conference highlighted how library and information professionals bring a robust toolkit of transferrable skills that align perfectly with knowledge management requirements. At the heart of this skillset lies their expertise in:
- Classification and categorisation: The ability to create meaningful taxonomies and organise information systematically is fundamental to both library and information science and knowledge management. This skill becomes increasingly valuable as organisations grapple with vast amounts of unstructured data.
- Information architecture: Understanding how to structure information for optimal accessibility and usability is crucial in designing knowledge management systems that work effectively across an organisation.
- Information literacy: The capacity to evaluate, verify, and validate information sources is more critical than ever in an age of AI-generated content and information overload. Conference discussions emphasised this as a crucial skill for managing AI implementations.
- Data governance: Experience in managing access rights, ensuring data quality, and maintaining information integrity translates directly to knowledge management responsibilities.
- Ethics: Library and information professionals are well versed in the ethical use of data and information. With the power of generative AI to aggregate wide pools of information as well as well-known issues with hallucinations and accuracy all organisations will have to pay attention to the ethical application of this technology.
The evolving role in the AI era
The KIMRA Conference revealed that as generative AI emerges as a transformative force in knowledge management, the skills of library and information professionals become even more valuable. They understand that:
- Information organisation principles help shape AI training data
- Quality control methodologies ensure AI outputs meet organisational standards
- Information retrieval techniques influence AI prompt engineering
- Data governance frameworks guide responsible AI implementation
Beyond technical skills: the human element
Conference discussions emphasised that success in knowledge management requires more than technical expertise. Library and information professionals bring crucial soft skills that are essential for implementation:
Change management expertise: Knowledge management initiatives often require significant organisational change. Library and information professionals, experienced in managing evolving information landscapes, understand how to:
- Guide stakeholders through technological transitions
- Build buy-in for new systems and processes
- Navigate resistance to change
- Create effective training and support programmes
Stakeholder management: The KIMRA Conference highlighted how the nuanced understanding that library and information professionals have of different user needs and behaviours translates well to knowledge management, where success depends on:
- Understanding diverse stakeholder requirements
- Engaging senior executive sponsors
- Balancing competing priorities
- Building relationships across organisational boundaries
- Advocating for user needs whilst meeting organisational goals
The future: AI-enabled knowledge management
Conference findings showed that as organisations increasingly turn to AI for knowledge management solutions, library and information professionals are uniquely positioned to:
- Lead AI implementation initiatives
- Ensure responsible AI use through strong governance frameworks
- Maintain the human element in increasingly automated systems
- Bridge the gap between technical capabilities and business needs
Specialised roles within knowledge management
The knowledge management field offers a wide range of specialised roles where library and information professionals can apply their skills. Organisations will usually label job titles to something that is meaningful internally, however a few more general examples are listed below:
- Information Architects: Designing knowledge structures and taxonomies
- Content Strategists: Developing and implementing content management strategies
- Data Governance Specialists: Ensuring information quality and compliance
- Knowledge Systems Analysts: Optimising knowledge capture and sharing
- AI Implementation Specialists: Guiding AI adoption in knowledge management
Conclusion
The path from library and information work to knowledge management is not just well trodden—it's becoming increasingly relevant in the age of AI. As demonstrated at the KIMRA Conference, the traditional skills of library and information professionals, combined with their ability to adapt to technological change, makes them ideal candidates for leading organisations through the knowledge management challenges of the future. As generative AI continues to transform how we manage and leverage organisational knowledge, their role will become even more crucial in ensuring successful, responsible, and effective knowledge management implementations.
The future of knowledge management lies at the intersection of human expertise and artificial intelligence. Library and information professionals, with their unique blend of technical knowledge and human-centred approach, are perfectly positioned to lead this transformation.
*The next KIMRA Conference, continuing the discussion on the evolution of knowledge and information management in the age of AI, will be held on June 4th, 2025.*
Simon Burton (simon.burton@cbresourcing.com) is Managing Director and Co-Founder of CB Resourcing, the leading knowledge & information management recruitment business. Simon is a Board Trustee of CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals and a Past President of SLA Europe.