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There are many challenges in the development of a digital library (DL) and their complexity can be approached effectively with a maturity model. In a maturity model, the features of a phenomenon are divided into different levels and at each level, they are first improved before going on to the improvement or realization of the next level. The purpose of this study is to design a digital library maturity model (DLMM) in Iran.

The DLMM was designed using a qualitative approach, meta-synthesis and the Delphi technique. First, the maturity features of a DL were identified by assessing 68 sources of study concerning DLs and maturity models using meta-synthesis. The maturity features were then validated by experts using the three-round Delphi technique. Finally, the experts were asked to categorize these features into the five levels of the capability maturity model (CMM) as the base model.

By analyzing these sources, three categories, seven concepts and 35 codes for the maturity features of a DL were identified. The majority of previous studies focused on the use of hardware/software systems as the backup and empowerment of DLs and the concept of DL content. The maturity features were then validated by experts using the three-round Delphi technique. Like the base model, DLMM has five levels, and most features were categorized into the third and fourth levels by the experts. Features such as human resources, needs assessment of DL and readiness to create a DL were included in the second level.

This work adds the concept of the maturity model to the literature of DLs.

In spite of the rapid growth in both the scope and diversity of information available today, the development of information services has not been the same everywhere. A large factor in development, or under‐development, of information services in any given country is a function of society’s perception of the importance of such services in its decision‐making process. Iran has been treated as a case study. Regardless of its cultural diversity, Iran has still to get to grips with the question of freedom of information. The pace of social and technological development has caught many statesmen unprepared. Past studies had indicated that, in Iran, only those information services that had adopted a result‐oriented approach to management, and had vigorous user‐education programmes, are successful. The growth of Iranian information services took place following the end of the war, with the influx of research and combat engineers in both the private and government sectors.

This study aims to present a comparative study of university library websites (in the USA) from the standpoint of “Google SEO” and “Accessibility”. Furthermore, correlation analysis between these two done.

By opting for a webometric approach, the present study analyzed university library websites in the USA. The Lighthouse add-on for the Google Chrome browser has been used as a data collection tool, by writing and implementing a computer program in Bash language automatically (May 2020). Data analysis tools used were “Libre-Office-Calc”, “SPSS22” and “Excel”.

In all 81 university library websites in the USA, Google search engine optimization (SEO) scores have been observed the amount higher than 60 (Total Score = 100). The accessibility rank obtained lay between 0.56 and 1 (Total Score = 1). A weak correlation relationship between “SEO score” and “accessibility rank” (P-value = 0.02, Spearman Correlation Coefficient = 0.345) was observed. This weak relationship can be explained due to the impact of several components affecting Google’s SEO score, one of them being having a high “accessibility rank”.

Given the increasing automation of library processes, SEO tools can help libraries in achieving their digital marketing goals.

Accurate measurement of the Google SEO score and accessibility rank for the university library websites (in the USA) were obtained by Lighthouse add-on for Google Chrome browser. Moreover, data extraction by the implementation of one program computer without the direct observation of human resources is the innovation of this study.

This study identifies factors affecting brand building for academic libraries affiliated with the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (MSRT) in Iran.

This research applied the grounded theory method based on the three open, axial and selective coding steps (Strauss and Corbin, 1998). The research tool was interviews conducted with 20 experts in librarianship, marketing and branding.

Library building architecture, library information resources and services, librarians' branding, marketing activities and library management are the causal conditions affecting brand building. The national economic situation, the digital publishing situation in the country and different characteristics of the new library community are the intervening conditions affecting brand building. The role of other libraries in society in the scientific education of the new generation provides contextual conditions for brand building. The higher education system and the library parent organization play a part in the operative actions/interactions for brand building. The consequences of brand building are brand image development, brand excellence and brand behavioral loyalty for libraries. Library brand identity is also a core category in brand building.

Facing steep challenges by emergent services, academic libraries are ill-prepared to meet the needs of the new information society solely with traditional services and functions. Academic libraries are required to rebrand themselves to be more successful at delivering a strong performance within a changing information environment by enhancing their brand image and establishing a more effective relationship with users.

The present research is aimed at presenting a framework for the reuse of research data in Iran through applying the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The research at hand has a mixed methods design. In the qualitative section, the authors first carried out meta-synthesis and then an interview was conducted. Likewise, in the quantitative section, the reliability of the recommended framework was measured through carrying out a survey. Finally, the framework for data reuse was presented in five dimensions, namely human, organizational, policies and laws, technical, implementation and analysis.

Through structural equation modeling, the fitness of the framework was confirmed, and it was found out that the dimensions of policies, human and organizational played more prominent roles in the explanation of the framework in comparison with the other two dimensions.

Research studies in the area of data reuse have been conducted either quantitatively or qualitatively and in most of them interviews or questionnaires were used as tools for collecting data; however, due to the nature of this area and its relatively new literature in Iran, it is necessary to use mixed methods in order to be able to arrive at a proper understanding of this concept using both quantitative and qualitative approaches.

The present study aims to investigate levels of awareness and use of Web 2.0 tools by librarians in the university libraries of East Azerbaijan (EA) in Iran and to determine how librarians use these tools in everyday life.

A Web-based questionnaire was used to collect data from 38 per cent librarians in the university libraries of EA.

The research findings indicate that the librarians were more familiar with Web 2.0 tools such as wikis and blogs. While librarians widely use blogs and wikis, tools such as social bookmarking, social networks, RSS feeds, instant messaging and digital maps were less frequently used. Results obtained from present study indicated that librarians use Web 2.0 tools mostly to communicate with friends and family, to keep up-to-date, to collaborate with colleagues and for curiosity and fun. Also, librarians believe that Web 2.0 tools can be used mostly for sharing information about library resources. Internet filtering, lack of access to high-speed internet and lack of training were the major obstacles for Web 2.0 adoption by librarians.

This study is a useful source for implementing Web 2.0-based technology in libraries. Also, this study will help managers understand the librarians’ needs about Web 2.0 to improve their library services.

The Iranian Library and Information Science curriculum has not kept pace with even the domestic market demand. A study in comparative librarianship education was carried out for curricula revamping. The most significant features of library and information science graduate programmes were: diversity of courses offered; university independence; diversity of degrees offered; ease and flexibility of the higher education system; updated course programmes; emphasis on research; course and curricula development. There seems to be a direct correlation between the efficiency of the courses offered with the state of information industry in the countries studied. There is a widening chasm between LIS education in developing countries and those in developed countries. Without any significant restructuring, the LIS programme in Iran will provide little in the way of riding out the rapid transition that the field is currently experiencing.