Systems Thinking and Library Management

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Faculty Member, Department of Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran

10.22081/jikm.2026.408.1000

Abstract

The primary objective of this article is to examine the application of systems thinking in library management and to evaluate the outcomes of adopting this approach in comparison with traditional modes of thinking. Managers who adopt a systems perspective approach organizational issues holistically, seeking to identify the constituent elements of a problem as well as the relationships and interactions among those elements. This article explores the role of systems thinking in shaping the performance of library managers. Despite its numerous advantages—and notwithstanding the fact that holistic thinking and the pursuit of integration are inherent human tendencies—many managers in general, and library managers in particular, pay insufficient attention to systems thinking and fail to employ it as a framework for solving organizational problems and improving institutional performance. Libraries, as learning organizations, require systems thinking to strengthen a holistic perspective within their organizational environment; merely observing events is not sufficient. Systems thinking enables library managers to identify the underlying structure of problems amid the complexities of different library departments and to determine and implement the most appropriate solutions for organizing them. The issues arising in any one department of a library are not confined to that department alone. Accordingly, performance evaluation should not focus exclusively on the performance of individual departments. Rather, in accordance with the principles of systems thinking, library managers should compare the library's overall performance over time and address existing weaknesses through comprehensive solutions while taking into account the library's overall policies and objectives.

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References

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Islamic Knowledge Management
Volume 6, Issue 2 - Serial Number 12
October 2024
Pages 97-125

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History

  • Receive Date: 25 December 2024
  • Revise Date: 08 January 2025
  • Accept Date: 10 January 2025

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