Sensemaking a public library's internet policy crisis
| Date | 01 August 2005 |
| Pages | 351-360 |
| Published date | 01 August 2005 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120410609761 |
| Author | Mary Cavanagh |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Sensemaking a public library’s
internet policy crisis
Mary Cavanagh
Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Abstract
Purpose – Using Weick’s sensemaking theory within a KM framework, and storytelling
methodology, this study aims to deconstruct a recent public internet access policy crisis at the
newly amalgamated Ottawa Public Library (Canada). As the library’s former Manager of Virtual
Library Services, the author retrospectively enacts the story of how the library board and management
resolved a public controversy led by the staff and the community newspaper. At issue were the library
staff’s right to be protected from viewing internet pornography, the community’s reaction to the issue
of protecting children’s internet access, and the library’s commitment to intellectual freedom online.
Design/methodology/approach – Plausible meanings are presented, the public library’s identity
and beliefs are reinterpreted, organizational vocabularies are challenged and tacit and cultural
knowledge is created and shared.
Findings – In keeping with a commitment to knowledge creation and use, the library should be
actively engaged in multiple tellings of this organizational story by both staff and management. Such
tellings, while perhaps not building any new consensus, would contribute to future sensemaking and
could aid future strategic planning.
Originality/value – Applies Weick’s theory, developed in a larger KM framework, and using
storytelling methodology, to deconstruct the experience of a recent organizational crisis involving
public internet access in a Canadian public library.
Keywords Internet, Organizational planning, Storytelling, Public libraries
Paper type Case study
Introduction
Knowledge management is the latest organizational discipline that uses sensemaking
as one of its critical foundational approaches (Choo, 1998; Choo et al., 2000; Ericson,
2000; Hannabuss, 2000; Lehr and Rice, 2002; Moss, 2001). I will apply Weick’s theory,
developed in a larger KM framework, and using storytelling methodology, to
deconstruct the experience of a recent organizational crisis involving public Internet
access in a Canadian public library.
There are many versions of this story, but only one is available for comparative
purposes (Deane, 2004). As both the narrator and one of the principal actors, I
acknowledge the inevitable biases in my telling of the story. I am a participant
observer and storyteller, reflecting one of multiple viewpoints on this particular crisis.
My primary goals are to make sense of this particular organizational crisis, to
inform future decision-making processes for any public library by explicitly applying a
sensemaker’s framework with a storytelling methodology to the situation (Choo, 1998;
Orton, 2000; Weick, 1995) and finally, to highlight the value of the knowledge created
and shared, through one telling of this organizational story.
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
Internet policy
crisis
351
Received February 2004
Revised 20 December 2004
Accepted 21 December 2004
Library Management
Vol. 26 No. 6/7, 2005
pp. 351-360
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120410609761
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