Journal of Studies in Library and Information Science
Year:2009 | Volume:1-16 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

The aim of the present research is to study the Iranian university libraries performance concerning introduction of electronic reference sources to, and also instructing, library users on utilizing these valuable reference sources. The present research surveys on the proportions and synthesis by which the current methods of introducing reference sources to users including: sending letters, setting up introduction sessions, preparation of posters, preparation of instructional manuals, introduction at reference desk, introduction at circulation desk, introduction in university's official publications, and introduction in students' publications have been utilized. The proportion and synthesis of the current methods of instruction such as setting up instructional sessions, performing simultaneous instruction, preparing instructional manuals, and providing instructional tours in libraries studied have also been surveyed. The extent to which printed reference sources have been provided has also been studied.

The purpose of the present research is to evaluate the quality of Shahid Chamran University (SCD) central library services using the LibQual model. 358 SCU library users participated in the survey in which the degree of precision of "repeated measure" and "zone of tolerance" were also examined and compared initiatively by the researchers in addition to the main research problem. The results of the repeated measure test indicated that users in general, evaluated the quality of library services in the three LibQual indices as minimum, and there was no significant difference between users' minimum level of expectations and received level of services in terms of service quality. Testing hypotheses for LibQual single indices indicated that in the two indices of "user's perception of service" and "library as a place", the difference between minimum level of expectations and received level the difference was not significant; while in "information control" index, there was a significant difference between minimum level of expectations and received level. Also, repeated measure tests indicated that there was a significant difference between minimum level of expectations and received level in three LibQual indices. The results of the study of "zone of tolerance" illustrated, however, that there was difference between minimum level of expectations and received level as well as maximum level of expectations and received level in all LibQual indices. Results of the study revealed that applying "repeated measure" test can increase the precision of quality studies, and play an important role in managerial decisions concerning library services. The same results also indicated that the library studied is not strong in "information control" as well.

Although library instruction passed through expand and profound revolution in necessity, content and methods of instruction during the last century, the position of Education Librarian for carrying out the formal, current and regular design and programming of library instruction programs within libraries, emerged around 1975 in the United States of America. In Iran, library education and instruction has been considered as a necessity in the past three decades, however, there no serious practical efforts has been made for carrying out formal, and regular library instruction programs in libraries. The present study focuses on identification of efficient factors compose the job description of the Education Librarian within the realm of a central library in universities affiliated to the Iranian Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education. The study surveyed the views of a total of 126 library managers, heads of Information Services, and head librarians in Circulation and Reference Services in 42 universities under study. The data were collected through questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS 13. Calculation of Cronbach's Alpha being 0.8633 approved the reliability of the questionnaire. Analysis of the collected data suggested the expected duties, skills, organizational place, and other required conditions to be included in job description of the Education librarian, based on the research findings.

The purpose of this research was the study of gender differences in job satisfaction of public librarians under the authority of Iran Public Libraries Foundation in capital cities of provinces in Iran. Survey method was applied in this research and the data were gathered using a questionnaire. The research sample consisted of 542 librarians of the public libraries under study. According to the findings, the mean value of job satisfaction for the female librarians (77/17) was significantly lower than that for the male librarians (80/52). Regarding the dimensions, the mean values of job satisfaction for female librarians as measured by human relations, the work itself and self actualization were also significantly lower than those for the male librarians. As librarianship being a profession that the majority of its occupants are women, lower job satisfaction of the female librarians tends to be an important issue that has been discussed in the final part of the article.

In most authentic definitions concerning Information Science in the last four decades, emphasis on the interdisciplinarity of that area has always been a firm basis upon which Information Science is the outcome of mixing issues in disciplines such as librarianship, computer sciences, communications, linguistics, psychology, etc. in the epistemological map of human sciences. The researcher, applying dialectic method, and asking a question: what are the characteristics of interdisciplinary sciences, investigates the interdisciplinarity of information science Among the results of this dialectic method is that the main and identifying subject (s) in every scientific discipline (not simply its current scientific methodologies and theories) are the designating research approaches governing that discipline. Accordingly, since a discipline such as biochemistry, pertains to both biology and chemistry, is normally dependent on the two disciplines and thus its interdisciplinary nature is evident. However, in analogy, the main subject of information science which is the study of information and information processes, is not the main subject of any other scientific discipline and is only observed in information science. The researcher has enumerated four factors affecting the notion of interdisciplinarity of information science in the present paper. Based on the arguments made, one can conclude that none of the factors can justify the interdisciplinarity of information science and even its branches. This is to be considered in theoretical definitions concerning this scientific discipline.

The websites of Iranian medical universities under Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education have been studied in the present paper. 41 websites have been studied structurally using a checklist containing 60 items. Number of pages indexed from each website, total number of links, received links, self-links, total impact factor, and individual impact factor of those websites were studied in order to assess their visibility and impact. Number of visits to the websites under study was also studied and factors such as traffic rank at national and universal levels, percentage of web users browsing the designated websites, average number of pages browsed by users, and their browse rate both in Iran and abroad, were extracted from Alexa site and analyzed.

Cybernetic theory of information as is introduced by Abbas Horri in the book entitled Daramadi Bar Etela Shenasi (An Introduction to Informology) is considered to be an independent theory and in parallel with other theories such as "Mathematical theory of information", "Semantic theory of information", and "Quantum theory of information". Cybernetic theory of information has been treated as having an independent identity. However, cybernetics discusses effects and features of information rather than its identity. Therefore, probably, cybernetic approach to information is following the Shannonian mathematical paradigm of information.

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the users' satisfaction with services provided in the library of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery in the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Results of the present survey can be of great help to the university and the faculty authorities in evaluating library services, identifying probable deficiencies and suggesting the ways in which the quality of library services can be improved in backing up of the educational and research programs of the university. Various aspects of library services are analyzed, including the collection's richness and up datedness, librarians' behavior and capability, librarians' mastery of the collection, library rules and regulations and the most important reasons of dissatisfaction with library services, if any. Results showed that respondents were highly satisfied with physical and welfare facilities of the library, librarians' mastery of the collection, and library rules and regulations; however, they were not satisfied with up datedness of Persian and foreign sources of information.