Meaning and identity construction is important not only when libraries are used as spaces for managing Indigenous Knowledge (IK) but also in situations involving social interaction. The implication is that IK tends to attract different meanings and identities depending on persons in various contexts where it is managed. The research sought to establish the meanings and identities constructed when indigenous knowledge is managed by academic libraries. A qualitative approach which utilised a phenomenology research design was adopted. Open-ended questionnaires, unstructured interviews, observation and photo documentation were utilised to gather data from 60 participants sampled from three universities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The findings revealed that there are commendable efforts to create space for IK within libraries, but that their collection needs to be transformed and decolonised by collecting, documenting, organising, storing, and disseminating more indigenous knowledge, as well as promoting it for sustainable development. The study concluded that academic libraries were not doing enough and suggests that they be viewed as information and educational resources for the community outside the institution. They also need to open their doors to the youth for them to learn about their IK and develop pride in their heritage.

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