Jennine’s doctoral work is guided by her desire to participate meaningfully in the scholarly discourse on the role and value of Caribbean academic libraries. She has proposed a case study approach on how academic libraries create value for their respective institutions through effective fulfillment of the needs of their diverse stakeholders. The proposed study likewise acknowledges the fact that today higher education institutions, not least universities and research institutes, are increasingly challenged to become more active in helping countries to achieve sustainable socio-economic development. Libraries have become key to the higher education institutions in their fulfillment of this mandate. In her 18 years’ experience in libraries, Jennine Knight has worked in both specialized and academic libraries, performing a range of responsibilities and roles. This experience has provided her with first-hand and unique insights into the value and potential of libraries in these times of institutional and broader socio-economic change. Against this background, Jennine has developed a keen research interest in strategic human resource development and management in academic libraries such as those of the University of the West Indies, and the added value such libraries may bring to the new vision being articulated these higher education institutions.

Proposal Title: The necessity for academic libraries to become strategic business partners: The case of the University of the West Indies 

San José Supervisor: Bill Fisher

Education:

• MSc. Management with Specialization (Human Resources), U.W.I. Cave Hill Campus
• MSc. Econ. Information and Library Studies. University of Wales, Aberystwyth
• B.A. Linguistics and History (Honours)  U.W.I. Cave Hill Campus

Current Position:

• Library Administration and Planning Officer. U.W.I. Cave Hill Campus