Collections of Libraries of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

This research evaluates the status of collections of libraries in the Tabriz University of Medical Science and aims to identify the amount of resources available in these libraries and their strengths and weaknesses in order to inform officials and to assist the planners of the educational and research sections. This research has been carried out through a descriptive study of eight faculty libraries and the Central Library of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Data was collected from the libraries and education offices of the university and the faculties, and then analysed using Microsoft Excel. The findings were compared according to the indicators of the Standards for University Libraries of Iran and the standards of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Findings show that all the libraries of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences collectively hold 85,046 documents and this number meets 9 per cent of the Standards for University Libraries of Iran and 5 per cent of the ACRL standards. Tabriz University of Medical Sciences has 1300 printed Persian and non-Persian journals (both subscription and non-subscription) which have been regularly received in 2008 and this is 35 per cent of the Standards for University Libraries of Iran. Furthermore, the university studied has more than 2500 online journal subscriptions. Therefore, considering both printed and online journals the university has about 3800 journals which include 102 per cent of the Standards for University Libraries of Iran. The findings of this research and similar studies indicate the major weakness of university libraries of Iran in terms of their collections which has a direct effect on the activities of librarians and their position and the services provided. The emergence of online resources and unfamiliarity of the policymakers with the strengths and weaknesses of these resources leads to wrong decisions about printed and online resources which will cause university libraries to face serious problems in long run