A model for inter-agency cooperations to provide services for the blind and low-sighted people: Requirements and functions

The purpose of this study is to offer a model of Inter-agency cooperations to provide services for the blind and low-sighted people in Iran. This research was conducted as Quantitative (Descriptive Survey) and qualitative (Content Analysis). Required data were collected in two parts: First via questionnaire consisted of 3 open questions, asked through telephone interviews, with 12 non/expert respondents. The second part of the required data was obtained from the observation of libraries environment and search in the libraries websites, documents, news etc. The results showed that despite a large number of blinds and low-sighted people in Iran, information services and facilities had been scattered. There were no national plan for resource sharing and exchange associated with this particular groups. In order to achieve the desired level of services in both level of internal and inter-organizational, new measures including the more use of technology should be taken from organizations such as: the National Library for the Blind and Low-sighted people (apart from the current existing libraries, including the Blind Department of National Library), as a dynamic institution that have moral and material support from the government and the public. Finally, this new implemented organizations have to coordinate resource-sharing plans at the national level.