نشریه مطالعات دانش پژوهی
سال دوم شماره 2 (پیاپی 4، تابستان 1402)

This study aimed to explore the role of services and functions provided by public libraries in the economic development of society, as perceived by librarians and library managers.

A quantitative research design employing a survey approach was conducted. The statistical population consisted of experienced managers and librarians from public libraries across the centers of Iranian provinces. The estimated population size was 1900 individuals, with a sample size of 319 participants selected using Cochran's sampling formula. Data was collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire. Content validity and Cronbach's alpha were used to establish validity and reliability, respectively. The overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient for both the questionnaire and its components surpassed 0.80, indicating acceptable reliability. Data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical software and PLS Smart structural equations.

The results revealed that the services and functions of public libraries, including education and research, information dissemination and alerting, providing recreational activities, hosting exhibitions and conferences, and promoting study and personal growth, have an effective and positive impact on economic development indicators, with more than 40% of respondents acknowledging their importance. Furthermore, the structural model of the research exhibited good validity in terms of Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, convergent validity, predictive accuracy (R2), predictive power (Q2), and goodness of fit index (GOF).

The findings indicate that the characteristics and functions of public libraries in Iran possess the capacity and capability to play a significant and influential role in economic development, as demonstrated in developed countries. However, the study also revealed that public libraries in Iran have been neglected in economic discussions compared to the emphasis on culture and societal development. The lack of attention to and utilization of the economic potential of public libraries is a contributing factor to their limited role in economic development.Value: This research provides an innovative approach to examining the role of services and functions provided by public libraries in socioeconomic development.

Abstract The velocity of change in the surrounding world has forced them to identify those factors which impact their change capacity. The present study was conducted to identify and prioritize influential factors on organizational change capacity. In terms of purpose, this was explorative and applied research. Its population included ten familiar experts with research subjects in a research and training center. By reviewing the literature on change capacity, relevant, influential factors were identified, and they were concurred by the fuzzy Delphi technique, and then they were ranked. After recognizing influential factors, a pair comparisons questionnaire was distributed among ten experts, and after gathering the questionnaires, effecting factors were ranked using the Expert Choice11 Software package and AHP technique. Results show that organizational culture, structure, and style of leadership were the main factors that impacted change capacity. The influential factors can be divided into three categories: environmental, content, and structural elements. Environmental factors include environment and innovation; content factors include team working, intellectual capital, leadership, political behavior, and human resource management; Structural elements include strategy, structure, organizational policies, information technology, knowledge management, and technology. Value: This is the first time in the literature that the influential variables affecting the change capacity were recognized and categorized in a conceptual classification that has not been seen in the previous research.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the role of Kermanshah public libraries in attracting users from the perspective of their clients.

This research utilized a quantitative survey method. The statistical population consisted of all members of public libraries in Kermanshah, totaling 12,197 individuals. The sample size was determined to be 372 members, selected through simple random sampling using Cochran's formula.

The findings indicated that the highest percentage of efforts made by libraries to attract users was through reserving and lending resources (41.3%). Conversely, the use of advertisements had the lowest percentage (2.02%). In terms of users' tendencies towards different book subjects, specialized books (27.7%), general information (22.6%), and fiction/poetry (20%) were the most preferred categories.

The study identified several factors that have contributed to a decrease in the number of library visitors, including a lack of suitable reading resources, inadequate facilities, an unappealing environment, and traditional library management practices.Value: This research provides valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of public libraries in Kermanshah when it comes to attracting users. This knowledge can aid library officials and trustees in identifying the information needs of their users.

This study aimed to evaluate and analyze the regulations governing top researchers in Iranian universities under the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology. The research focused on assessing the strengths and weaknesses of these regulations through a comparative and scoring methodology.

The study utilized an applied research design and employed the library research method. The research population included the regulations governing the selection of top researchers from various universities affiliated with the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology for the academic year 2020-2021. Data collection involved an examination and compilation of these regulations. The research utilized convenience sampling, and evaluation and content analysis techniques were applied to analyze the data.

The findings revealed variations in the regulations governing the selection of top researchers across the studied universities. These regulations demonstrated differences in scoring methodologies and attention to detail, lacking a unified structure. Notable discrepancies were observed in the scoring of printed books, points distribution, assessment of guided dissertations, and evaluation of research projects.

The study concluded that there is no standardized criterion for selecting top researchers across Iranian universities affiliated with the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology. Consequently, the establishment of a unified framework with consistent rules for identifying outstanding researchers nationwide is deemed necessary. Such an initiative would ensure fair competition among researchers and emphasize the efficiency and practicality of their research as the criteria for superiority.Value: This research contributes to the comparative examination of selection criteria for the top researchers in Iran, which is a relatively limited area of study.

Information consulting services and readers' advisory services are often overlooked in public libraries, which are widely recognized as centers for learning. This research aims to assess the feasibility and implementation of information consulting and readers' advisory services in the public libraries of Semnan, with a focus on entrepreneurship in public libraries.

A mixed exploratory approach was used for this research. Qualitatively, semi-structured interviews were conducted with librarians from public libraries in Semnan to identify key concepts related to information consulting and entrepreneurship in libraries. Quantitatively, these concepts were evaluated using a survey distributed to librarians from public libraries in Semnan.

The findings revealed that over 74% of public library librarians in Semnan were interested in establishing information consulting and readers' advisory services in their libraries. According to librarians, these services would attract more library users, maximize the utilization of library resources, and increase satisfaction among library patrons. Librarians also emphasized the importance of strong public relations and communication skills, expertise in the field, and a genuine interest in helping others as essential characteristics for those providing information consulting and readers' advisory services.

Entrepreneurial opportunities within the field of Knowledge and Information Science can include electronic information consulting and readers' advisory services, the establishment of information consultation phone lines (subject to the necessary permits), and the provision of family counseling and psychology services. It is also suggested that specialized information consulting courses and training be provided to librarians to create employment opportunities for graduates. This entrepreneurial approach can generate income for public libraries.Value: Information consulting and readers' advisory services in public libraries, particularly in Semnan province, offer potential for entrepreneurship and employment, fostering professional growth within the field of Knowledge and Information Science.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the status of scientific productions in the field of Digital Citizen Science from 1971 to 2022 in the Scopus citation database.

The method of the present study is descriptive survey-analytical with a quantitative and scientometric approach. The current study population is all scientific products in the field of Digital Citizen Science from 1971 to 2022, indexed in the Scopus database. 

Scientific productions in the field of Digital Citizen Science have a growing trend from 1971 to 2022. The three most active fields in this field are Environmental Sciences (9377 degrees), Agricultural and Biological Sciences (8380 degrees), and Social Sciences (8134). The National Science Foundation and the European Union are the top research institutes in this field. Among the countries, the United States, Britain, and Australia are the three leading countries in this field. The co-occurrence of words also shows the critical role of individuals (citizens) in the scientific production of this field. 

The study of scientific products in the field of digital citizenship can be a roadmap for researchers inside and outside the field. Given that the field of Citizen Science is an interdisciplinary field and is related to many scientific fields, it is worthwhile for science and technology policymakers in Iran to expand interdisciplinary cooperation with top countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.Value: This research is the first study to explain the digital citizen science in the country.