Identifying and Ranking Effective Factors in Integrated Digital Libraries of Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran by Fuzzy Topsis Technique

To achieve an ideal health system, a convenient and comprehensive access to information is essential in different steps of decision-making. An Integrated digital library (IDL) is developed by joing individual and scattered digital libraries forming a network and providing services under the control of a centralized manager. The main purpose of this study was to identify and rank effective factors in implementing Integrated Digital Libraries in Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran.
The present descriptive study was conducted by reviewing the literature and interviewing 15 experts, who were digital library specialists representing the members of Delphi Panel. The sampling method was the snowball technique. Fuzzy topsis technique was used to rank the effective factors.
Factors, which influenced the integration of digital libraries in universities of medical sciences in Iran, could be classified into five main groups: strategic, technical, digital technology, organizational and human factors, respectively, and according to their ranks. It is interesting to note that the strategic factors were effective and important in implementing an integratd digital library.
Effective factors in the integration process of digital libraries in univercities of medical sciences in Iran are mainly the same as those reported in other countries. However, on the basis of the opinion of Delphi panel members, strategic facors appeared to be more important and in priority for more consideration.