E-readiness assessment of academic libraries: a case study in Iran
| Pages | 193-207 |
| Published date | 03 April 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-11-2016-0254 |
| Date | 03 April 2018 |
| Author | Hossein Motahari-Nezhad,Maryam Shekofteh,Maryam Kazerani |
E-readiness assessment of
academic libraries: a case
study in Iran
Hossein Motahari-Nezhad,Maryam Shekofteh and Maryam Kazerani
Department of Medical Library and Information Science,
School of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this study is to assess the e-readiness status of libraries in the Shahid Beheshti
University of Medical Sciences in terms of four dimensions –human resources, electronical infrastructure,
network servicesand programs and enhancers of the networked world.
Design/methodology/approach –The study population consistsof 11 libraries of the Shahid Beheshti
University of Medical Sciences, including the central library and 10 faculty libraries. The data collection
instrument is a questionnaire prepared by the researchers that has been designed on the basis of the “e-
readiness assessment of Iranian academic libraries model”. Depending on the respondents there are three
parts to the questionnaire:questionnaire for managers, staff and information and communication technology
(ICT) officials.Their reliability and validity have been proved.
Findings –The librariesof Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences had an averageto high status in
terms of “human resources”with a score of 2.32, “electronic infrastructure”with a score of 2.48, “network
services and programs”witha score of 2.09 and “networked world enhancers”with a scoreof 2.37 out of 4. In
total, theselibraries had an average to high status in terms of e-readiness,with a score of 2.29.
Originality/value –The findings of this studycan help the library administrators and officials of Shahid
BeheshtiUniversity of Medical Sciences to plan improvementsto the situation of ICT.
Keywords Iran, Academic libraries, Information and communication technology, E-readiness
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Information and communication technology (ICT) has permeated society, affecting many
activities and causing global development. In fact, ICT tools are considered key to the
progress of communities and organizations, and they play an important role in the shift
toward a digital and developed society (Andoh-Baidoo, 2016;Heeks, 2010;Perera and
Chandra, 2010). Libraries have also been greatly affected by ICT. ICT first entered into
libraries –principally academic libraries –in 1960 and transformed their activities (Ani
et al.,2005;Igwe, 1986;Saleem et al.,2013). ICT tools improve the performanceof libraries; in
fact, they have increased their efficiency and productivity in providing services to users
(Arif and Mahmood, 2012;Haglund and Olsson, 2008). The libraries of health sciences
This article has been extracted from the Master thesis by the first author (Hosein Motahari nezhad)
and supervised by one of the coauthors (Maryam Shekofteh) in Shahid Beheshti University of
Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Thanks to Mrs Farzaneh Ahmadi for the statistical advising. Thanks
to the staff, managers and ICT specialists of libraries for completing the questionnaires. Thanks to
the reviewers for their precious comments.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Assessment of
academic
libraries
193
Received27 November 2016
Revised10 June 2017
Accepted1 August 2017
TheElectronic Library
Vol.36 No. 2, 2018
pp. 193-207
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/EL-11-2016-0254
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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