Assessment Study of Library Website of Iranian Universities of Medical Sciences and Suggestions for Improvement

Academic library websites have an important role in relevance and offering services for users. The aim of present study was the assessment of library websites of Iranian Medical Universities and general criteria evaluation and recognition their strength and weakness. In this survey– analytical study, first academic library websites of Iranian Medical Universities were identified through internet and then compared from a general criteria evaluation standpoint (main content criteria, search and research and evaluation of user facilities) by using three check lists with 29 questions which validity were confirmed by experts and conducted research. During a three month period, 41 academic library websites affiliated to the Ministry of Health were evaluated. Data analyzed by Excel software. Totally, in studied academic library websites an average 36% of the content item index, 67% of search and research items and 46 % of the users facilities assessment items have observed in designing web pages. Among the studied universities, 18 universities (45%) had considered more than 50% of check lists information items in terms of designing their website. In general, the content of library website of Iranian Medical Science Universities was at low level, their search and investigate was at good level and user facilities were at medium level. Totally 46% of the library's website triples general evaluation criteria were considered by studied libraries. Medical Universities of Mashhad, Zanjan, Iran, Isfahan, Tabriz and Shahed in Iran had been considered the evaluation criteria in terms of libraries websites design more than other Medical Sciences Universities.