The Estimated Monetary Value of Iranian Academic Libraries Services and Determining Effective Factors on Willingness to Pay

The purpose of this study is to identify the average willingness to pay for users for the services of central libraries and the factors affecting it and to estimate the monetary value of the entire library service for users. Contingent valuation using, analytical survey with Hackman's two -step, and the stated priorities have been used. The statistical population of the research is the users of central libraries, including students, faculty members and employees of the universities under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. Using a two stage cluster sampling method, 10 central university colleges were selected. The sample size was calculated using the Michel and Carson formula at the level of 10% of 854 people. The data gathering tool was a two-dimensional researcher-made questionnaire with 40questions. Statistical analyzes were used for data analysis such as descriptive statistics, linear regression, Logistic and Probit. The results of the first stage of the Heckman method (Probit pattern), Indicates the factors affecting the likelihood of paying users and the results of the second stage of this method (regression-linear model), Indicates the factors affecting the willingness to pay. Therefore, based on the variable of the income, if the other effective factors are constant, an increase of 1% in the income of respondents increases the probability of accepting the proposed amount by more than 70%. The total weight elasticity of independent research variables the culture of reading and reading, the environment and amenities, and librarians behavior, by proving other factors one percentage point increase in these variables is the acceptance of the willingness to pay users 301%, 665% , 84% , 129%. No significant difference was observed in the results of the two methods of logit and linear Probit. On the other hand, Hekman's two-step approach, although it can be distinguished among the factors affecting the acceptance of the willingness to pay as well as the factors affecting its degree, In total, the willingness to pay was less than the other two methods. The monetary value of the total of the services of central libraries was estimated at the rate of 113,789,072,125 (one hundred and seventeen billion seven hundred and eighty-nine million seventy two thousand and twenty five Rials).