---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Open source softwares are those which permit execution, copy, read, distribution, and improvement of the software without any restrictions. Also, automatic library systems can manage library functions. Commercial library sofwares are very expensive. Therefore, open source softwares can be appropriate alternatives for automatic library systems. In addition to providing the general concept of source code softwares, this paper attempts to introduce the most extensively used library open source software packages, including PhpMyLibrary and Koha, and perform a concise comparison with previous studies. Findings of our research indicate that Koha possesses more facilities and in comparison, PhpMyLibrary is not of as much comprehensiveness.
 

---

Purpose: This paper tries to qualitatively present the issues related to axes of development in digital libraries, including human force, content, services, and technology, and provide a clear viewpoint in this regard by considering all existing aspects.
Methodology: In this paper, all existing resources were used. Through citation (library) method, the related literature was studied and, besides using their findings, they were referred as evidence.
Findings: As this study showed, four major elements have considerable effect on design and development of digital libraries and if a digital library is intended to be established and developed, each of these axes should be carefully be examined. In addition, establishment and development of a digital library needs some prerequisites which have been mentioned in the present study and paying attention to them can save time, energy, and cost.
Originality/Value: Initially a comprehensive plan of the axes of development in digital libraries has been proposed in this paper. Afterwards, through a comprehensive literature review, the individuals taking part in design, production, and use of digital libraries are provided with a clear view of the potentials and demands in this area. It also assists the related officials to make better decisions prior to taking any action. Finally, acquaintance with importance of each of these axes and the elements of digital library development enable their use when necessary
 

---

Purpose: This article presents results from a survey on the user interface environment of Persian journals databases from the viewpoints of Iranian public librarians.
Methodology: Adopting a survey approach, this study examines the views and experience of public librarians about  about the user interface environment of Persian journals databases, taking into account five dimensions and 58 criteria.
Findings: Findings reveal that the user interface environment of Persian journal databases with numerical mean equal to 180.8 was at the satisfactory level. It appeared that the dimensions of public information (mean:43.9), searching (mean: 81.3), retrieval (mean: 33.1), were at satisfactory level, and demonstration (mean: 16.2), user- friendliness (mean: 7.13) were at unsatisfactory level. In addition, the findings showed that
Originality/Value: Illuminating the strengths and weaknesses of the  user interface environment of Persian journals databases, this study help journal database producers designing better interface environments for users. Ithelps institutions selecting the databases that best meet the needs of their patrons. It also helps users experiencing easy and fast access to their required information via a better user interface.
 

---

---

Purpose: This study aims to investigate correspondence of users' queries with alternative terms of Latin databases namely IEEE and EBSCO. Databases display subjective content of their documents through natural or controlled language vocabularies in specified bibliographic fields along with other bibliographic information that are called papers alternative terms.
Methodology: We used content analysis method for implementation of this research. The statistical community includes EBSCO and IEEE databases in which the transaction logs of users have been investigated during 3 months.
Findings: The findings indicated that users' queries are correspond with free alternative terms rather than controlled alternative ones. However, the relative correspondence between users' queries and controlled alternative terms is more than free alternative ones. Also there was a meaningful difference between users queries correspondence with each kinds of alternative terms. Finally, results indicated that free alternative terms seems can be used in indexing  and search engine thesauruses.
Originality/Value: This research seems valuable because of its concentration on the comparison of efficiency of free vocabularies vs. controlled vocabularies in search process and the need to more regard toward them in indexing processes.
 

---

Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify platform-based services and their priorities in order to apply them in Iran’s public libraries.
Method: This research is an applied study in terms of purpose, including a mixed approach in terms of the research framework. First, the platform-based services were identified through using the meta-synthesis method. Then, after searching through the literature and selecting the appropriate sources by meta-synthesis, 9 articles were eventually investigated as the final selected resources. Then, after the key codes were extracted from the sources and the concepts were categorized, platform-based services were identified. In the second stage of the research, a researcher-made questionnaire was used in order to determine the importance of the services extracted by 38 experts and professionals of public libraries. In order to identify the most important services based on the professionals’ views, data was analyzed by SPSS using the Binomial test.
Findings: Through the meta-synthesis applied, 28 services were extracted under 3 categories: education-oriented services (11 services), accessibility and information services (9 services), cultural and leisure services (8 services). According to the experts, the most important services to be applied in the Iranian public libraries include: three education-oriented services (teaching children how to interact, lifelong learning education, and health literacy education), five services related to accessibility and information (establishing a digital library, information consultation for entrepreneurs, access to local information, access to health information, and interlibrary loan) and seven cultural and leisure services (allocating space to groups and associations, creating space for public gatherings, providing equipment and facilities for studying or doing homework, setting up an attendance program for entrepreneurs and producers, creating space for public participation, creating space for scientific conferences, and interaction between suppliers and demanders).
Originality/value: From a platform perspective, Iran’s public libraries, should be not only a conduit for access to information and information resources, but also an interface between users and local organizations. In the area of education, public libraries should be a platform for providing education by various organizations to people; In the area of ​​accessibility, they should provide access to government, local and commercial information; In the field of cultural services and leisure, which was more important for the experts under study, in addition to being a place of communication for people, they should also use the physical space of the library as a venue for providing services. Iran’s public libraries should provide a platform for local users, organizations, companies or any other type of body to use the physical space of public libraries for official ceremonies, festivals, traditional markets and exhibitions.

---

Abstract

Purpose: Due to the importance of using toys in libraries and its unreasonable role in the development of individual and social personality of children, today many libraries around the world, as well as in Iran by the Iran Public Libraries Foundation, use this possibility. Continuation of the process of sending toys by the Iran Public Libraries Foundation requires a thorough review of the activities performed and identification of their weaknesses and strengths. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the current status of the use of toys and its related factors in Iran public libraries.
Method: This is an applied study that was carried out using the survey method. The statistical population of the study included all librarians of Iran public libraries, 899 of whom participated in the study. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data. To assess the validity of the questionnaire, face/content validity was used. A number of experts, including professors of Knowledge and Information Science and researchers in the field of educational sciences and toys, reviewed the questionnaire and after correcting their opinions, the validity was confirmed. Cronbach’s alpha method was used to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the whole questionnaire was 0.918 and for each part of the questionnaire, the alpha coefficient was higher than 0.8, which indicates the high reliability of the questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics and SPSS software.
Findings: The findings showed that the use of toys in the country’s public libraries is above average. Most of the clients in the toy sector are children aged 5 to 9 years and 3 to 5 years. In terms of gender, the female clients were more than twice as many as the boys. In terms of using the type of toys, the tendency to use group toys is more than individual toys, among which the two categories of intellectual and educational toys were most welcomed by clients. A survey of users’ satisfaction with the toy sector showed that although the overall satisfaction with this sector was above average, the low variety, quantity and quality of toys and also not having enough space for the toy sector and the lack of working hours of this section is one of the factors leading to dissatisfaction with the toy section. The findings also showed that from the librarians’ point of view, using toys in public libraries has been very effective, has recorded a positive experience of the library in the minds of clients, and has strengthened the spirit of collectivism in children and increased library visits. Finally, the findings indicated that librarians have little knowledge and skills in the field of toys and are not qualified to work in the toy sector.
Originality/value: The present study examines the current status of the use of toys in Iran public libraries and identifies the strengths and weaknesses related to the toys, toys section and librarians of the toy section, providing accurate information to the managers and experts of the Iran Public Libraries Foundation in order that they can plan more precisely and eliminate the shortcomings in this field. It is also a basis for further research in this area as well as for the development of its theoretical foundations.

---

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the instructional needs of Iranian public libraries’ users.
Method: In order to conduct the assessment of instructional needs, the agreement-based needs assessment model and Internet survey method were used, the data were collected through distribution of electronic questionnaires among public library users across the country. The research population consisted of all public libraries’ users in Iran in 1399 SH, whose number was 1842858 according to the staticstics of Iran Public Libraries Foundation. According to the Krejcie-Morgan table, 775 cases were selected as the research sample using the stratified sampling method. A researcher-made closed-ended questionnaire was used to collect data, and the content validity of the questionnaire was verified by 5 people including project supervisor, education and research experts of Iran Public Libraries Foundation, faculy members of education sciences and knowledge and information science, and the reliability of the questionnaire was equal to 0.92 according to Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, such as mean and standard deviation, and statistical tests including sample t-test and Friedman test.
Findings:The results showed that out of 75 instructional courses, 38 instructional courses are required by users of public libraries in Iran, and in particular life skills courses, mental health promotion, learning and study skills, couples communication skills, media literacy, physical health promotion, Internet skills, information literacy, camera and mobile photography, Internet-based business, parenting, Word processing, entrepreneurship and business skills, PowerPoint presentation, resume writing, and installing Windows, respectively, are 16 prioritized instructional courses and the most important training courses required by the users of public libraries in Iran. By implementing these nationwide instructional courses, Iranian public libraries will be able to obviate the personal and professional instructional needs of target users.
Originality/value: In spite of the emphasis on instruction as one of the main missions of the Iran Public Libraries Foundation, research evidences show that Iranian public libraries have not considered the instructional needs assessment of target users, which is necessary for designing and implementing nationwide instructional courses. dentification of the instructional needs of Iranian public library users is theis reseach contribution. The results of this study help the instructional officials of Iran Public Libraries Foundation to design instructional courses which fit the instructional needs of target users, and to take effective steps to achieve the strategic goal of instruction as well.