Level of information technology application in Iranian university libraries

Abstract

The paper examines the level of information technology (IT) application in university libraries in Iran. As a background, an attempt was made to present current status of IT application in the libraries. In this study the whole population of 79 university libraries under the jurisdiction of two ministries: Culture and Higher Education (MCHE) and Health, Treatment and Medical Education (HTME), was surveyed. The significant difference between the level of IT application in two library groups, i.e. MCHE and HTME, and the relationship between the level of IT application and the number of computers in use and the annual expenditure on IT, have also been discussed. The paper concluded that the automation of Iranian university libraries is a continuous exercise.

A meta-analysis of service quality of Iranian university libraries based on the LibQUAL model

“…The IC dimension considers the collection library sources. The mean of users' satisfaction of university libraries located in east (Ali-Ramezany et al, 2008;Yaghobifar et al, 2016;Pourahmad et al, 2016) and north (Esmaeilpour Bandboni et al, 2015;Nooshinfard and Tahmasebi, 2014) areas of Iran has been lower than other areas and this 195 Meta-analysis of service quality might depend on the level of research and scientific activities in universities and education of librarians of these areas in comparison with other areas (Farajpahlou, 1994;Davarpanah, 2001;Davarpanah, 2003). Although the system of library has changed from traditional to online software, which can make the library sources more visible and accessible for users (Bruce et al, 2009;Hall et al, 2014).…”

“…Also, Iranian universities graduate almost 750,000 students annually (Karimi et al, 2010;Da Wan et al, 2016;Naderi, 2016). Each of the Ministries has specific criteria to establish and develop its library services (Farajpahlou, 1994;Davarpanah, 2001Davarpanah, , 2003. In addition, university library standards in Iran have been developed since 1995 and used as a guideline to all universities.…”

The status of information technology in Iranian hospital libraries

“…In spite of this, Farajpahlou (1994) mentioned that until 1991 many Iranian libraries were in the process of using CD‐ROM, and other information technologies; however, a majority of the libraries were encountering problems due to lack of networked databases, lack of strategic automation plans, and ineffectiveness of library education to deal with modern technologies. But, due to the importance of keeping up with the technological revolutions after 1990s, and Iran's policy makers whose decisions have been highly revolving around slogan “Software Movement” in recent years, IT has been necessary and omnipresent in most of Iranian organisations (Davarpanah, 2001a) including Health Sector‐related ones (e.g. libraries).…”

“…In addition to the lack of trained personnel (Lundeen et al , 1994) and financial difficulties as big problems hindering the use and development of IT at universities in Costa Rica (Engstrom, 2001), Davarpanah (2001a, b) carried out a research concerning barriers and problems in using IT in academic libraries in Iran. Accordingly, the difficulties identified based on their importance are: governmental, economic, social, cultural, human resources, technical and management factors.…”

University libraries in Iran: a study based on published sources

“…There are only a few examples of university departments, such as one in Education and Persian Literature, taking the initiative to offer formal instruction in the use of library and reference resources (Banieqbal, 1992). Internet services, electronic mail, online databases, and automated library services, such as circulations and acquisitions exist in 31.37 per cent of the surveyed libraries (Davarpanah, 2001).…”