The Scary Side of Knowledge Management - and How to Survive It

October is the time of year when we’re all thinking about spooks and scares, but for many Knowledge Managers you don’t need to go trick or treating to find something scary - there are plenty of things in the normal working day.
So, what’s giving library managers nightmares? Keep reading… if you dare:

Information Overload

The never-ending flood of news and emails can be overwhelming. And we know it’s only going to get worse - data published online has exploded in the past 20 years. With annual data generated rising from 2 zettabytes in 2005 to 181 zettabytes in 2025 (so far!). Plus, data from 2022 shows 333.22 billion emails were sent each day.

It’s… a lot.

Filtering through the noise with automated alerts, expertly crafted newsletters, and personalized end-user feeds can help you streamline things for your users.

AI Anxiety

You can’t open a paper, view a website, or see a billboard without some company screaming about their new AI features. And while companies are fighting to be the first and the fastest, many knowledge managers fear that automation or generative AI will replace professional judgment rather than enhance it.

A study by law firm Dentons found that 63% of businesses do not have a formalized AI roadmap in place, but 70% of those surveyed believe AI adoption and implementation is the key growth driver for their business.

There is definitely a significant benefit to using AI in knowledge management, but organizations would be wise to implement clear policies, safeguards, and training before rolling it out.

Budget Cuts and Shrinking Teams

The push to do more with less has been around for decades, but while businesses may be slashing resources in the name of efficiency, librarians are struggling to maintain quality services.

A key way to overcome this is to showcase the value your team adds to the organization and implement software that can free up your time so you can focus on more strategic tasks.

Vendor Lock-In

Sometimes your content aggregation software is no longer meeting your needs, but you can’t face the work of moving to something better. We’d call that Vendor Lock In, and it can be a frustrating Catch 22 - you can’t keep using it, but you can’t move away.

But there is a solution - find a new vendor that meets your requirements and will help you with the migration. That could be an overlap period or an extra resource to do some of the work on your behalf.

Broken Links

Nothing sends chills like a “404 Not Found” just when you need something most. As the online world is constantly evolving, sometimes a feed you rely on can suddenly change or move.

While this is rarely a disaster, finding a solution takes up vital time from an already busy day. The best option is to choose a vendor that proactively manages links and feeds to monitor health, and does the heavy lifting of fixing them for you.

User Engagement Evasion

You’ve built a beautiful knowledge hub… but no one uses it. How can you get your users engaged? In an ideal world, our end-users would use our resources in a way that works for us - but that’s never going to happen.

The best way to fix this issue is to think about how your users work, and how they prefer to receive their information - then create a hub that works alongside that. Success is about removing as much friction as possible.

The Vanishing Expert

There’s no nightmare like losing a key subject expert - taking their tacit knowledge with them. In the average company, 80% of critical institutional knowledge is undocumented or siloed, with departures risking the loss of valuable information that can disrupt or damage essential processes.

Content aggregation and curation solutions help you preserve processes and avoid disruption. They can also ensure new starters get up to speed much faster.

As the spooky season reminds us of ghosts and ghouls, Knowledge Managers face their own real-world frights - from information overload to vanishing experts. But unlike horror films, these challenges have practical solutions.

With the right mix of tools, strategy, and communication, library and knowledge teams can banish these nightmares and turn them into opportunities for growth. Whether it’s managing data chaos with curated feeds, embracing AI responsibly, or engaging users, every step you take strengthens your organization’s ability to deliver.

So don’t be scared - be prepared. The future of knowledge management isn’t frightful; it’s full of potential.