Application of information technologies in academic libraries
| Pages | 986-998 |
| Published date | 13 November 2009 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470911004075 |
| Date | 13 November 2009 |
| Author | Faranak Mohsenzadeh,Alireza Isfandyari‐Moghaddam |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Application of information
technologies in academic libraries
Faranak Mohsenzadeh
Islamic Azad University, Sirjan, Iran, and
Alireza Isfandyari-Moghaddam
Department of Library and Information Studies, Islamic Azad University,
Hamedan, Iran
Abstract
Purpose – The main purpose of this investigation is to define the status of the application of
information technology in academic libraries located in Kerman, the center and largest city of Kerman
Province, Iran, and to understand the problems and difficulties in using information technology in
these libraries.
Design/methodology/approach – The survey has covered 17 libraries belonging to Shahid
Bahonar University, Kerman Medical University and Islamic Azad University. Two kinds of
questionnaires were distributed to libraries – one for librarians and the other for library staff. The
findings of the survey have been analyzed using SPSS software.
Findings – Results show that the level of application of information technology in Kerman academic
libraries is acceptable but they should improve their status to match with ever increasing demand for
better librarian services at universities; the most important problem and serious difficulty is the lack of
educated librarians, which needs a suitable investment and planning; and, although about 70 percent
of librarians in Kerman academic libraries have participated in related training courses, the most
serious difficulty in using information technology is still the lack of educated librarians.
Practical implications – Based on the research findings, several suggestions for improvements can
be made, for example: recruitment of multi-skilled librarians familiar with information technologies
related to the mechanism of work in academic libraries; planning and designing ongoing courses of
information technology and related skills; promotion and introduction of various academic library
services through compiling and publishing manuals and guides; equipping academic libraries with
more information technology facilities; having a special budget for development of information
technology infrastructure; overcoming telecommunication barriers and shortcomings to better use of
information technology; and mechanization of all academic library departments to provide
information services more optimally and speedily.
Originality/value – The research studies the rate of using information technologies in Iran as a
developing country. Hopefully, uncovering and understanding some unknowns based on such
investigations can help to address the digital divide within universities and countries governing them.
Keywords Academic libraries,Communication technologies,Internet, Librarians, Iran
Paper type Research paper
Introduction and background
Rapid developments in information and communication technologies (ICT) and their
wide applications in all aspects of everyday life have led to dramatic changes which
have not been observed before. These changes are so forcible that it is not realistic to
expect stability of the mankind life conditions (Webster, 2001). Information
technologies (IT) entered into libraries, especially academic and research libraries,
during the 1960 s. Libraries, at the beginning, employed information technologies to
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
EL
27,6
986
Received 23 July 2008
Revised 28 August 2008
Accepted 25 September
2008
The Electronic Library
Vol. 27 No. 6, 2009
pp. 986-998
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/02640470911004075
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