Historical background of knowledge management According to the available literature, knowledge management practices have existed in societies for several centuries (Ives, Torrey and Gordon, 1998). Ives, Torrey, and Gordon cite the palace archives of Sumer and Akkad and the cuneiform archives of Elbe, Syria, which date back 4,000 years, as one of the first attempts to capture and store valuable knowledge for future generations in the history of 'humanity. They also refer to the Library of Alexandria in Egypt (third century BC) as an example of human efforts to preserve valuable knowledge. This library included over 500,000 handwritten works that were copied and distributed throughout the world (Ives, Torrey, & Gordon, 1998). Newing (1999) through his research reported that the cuneiform language was inscribed on clay tablets which required a firing process. He also noted that these tablets allowed for permanent records but were not easily transportable. According to Newing, papyrus did not require the firing process and allowed for greater transportability. He claimed that this invention led to the construction of the libraries of Akkad, Elba and Alexandria (Newing, 1999). According to Newing (1999), the use of parchment began around 200 BC and paper in 100 AD. However, Newing stated that these forms of media were susceptible to destruction by invading armies. He noted that to ensure the preservation of these documents, the monks of the monasteries made copies of important documents, making them the first knowledge professionals. According to Newing, the invention of the printing press in the 15th century enabled the mass distribution of written documents and knowledge at low cost (Newing, 1999). The study of knowledge took place in the middle of the paper. .....ew. Library Trends, 50(3): 350-371.McGrath, W. E. (2002). Introduction: librarianship and theory. Library Trends, 50(3): 309-316.McManus, D. & Loughridge, B. (2002). Corporate information, institutional culture and knowledge management: A perspective from UK university libraries. New World Library, 103(9): 320-327.Mphidi, H. & Snyman, R. (2004). Using an intranet as a knowledge management tool in academic libraries. The Electronic Library, 22(5): 393-400.Ngulube, P. & Lwoga, E. (2007). Knowledge management models and their usefulness for effectively managing and integrating indigenous knowledge with other knowledge systems. Indilinga - African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, 6(2): 117 - 131. Nonaka, I. & Konno, N. (1998). The concept of "Ba": building a foundation for knowledge creation. California Management Review, 40(3): 40-50.