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Purpose: Ever increasing need to information as well as increasing demand of researchers as the main leaders of knowledge production emphasizes the necessity to reach organizational agility in libraries, which includes the concept of providing rapid and flexible library services. To reach agility, its specific capability must initially be acquired. One of the best approaches to reinforce such abilities is to follow the total quality management (TQM) strategies so as to make the internal processes and library services agile. This research is therefore devoted to finding the relationship between each of the major dimensions of TQM with main components of organizational agility in libraries.
Methodology: This research is an applied one and its methodology is a field study. The population under study included all public libraries in Yazd City. Data collection was accomplished by literature review, interview with experts, and questionnaire. The obtained data was analyzed using correlation test and the technique of network analysis process, by the software SPSS and Super Decisions.
Findings: The dimensions of TQM which had highest relationship with promotion of agility abilities in library services can be mentioned, in descending order, as leadership, individuals, being customer-oriented, and process..
Originality/Value: Considering the remarkable position of organizational agility in management system of the modern competitive business world, libraries seem to be a proper position to implement such knowledge. This can also be useful in promoting the quality of providing services to libraries clients. Existence of sufficient infrastructures in this regard is necessary; so, during the implementation of an agile system following TQM, the existing systems should be evaluated and compared with previous yields and future goals, and continuous improvement should be made.
 

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Purpose: The aim of this research is to identify the  main criteria used for selecting the locations of public libraries based on an optimized model, Topsis-Fuzzy technique and using geographic information systems. The research also aims to investigate the identified criteria in the geographic space of Tabriz city. The research will be used to produce a map of convenient sites for public library usage.
Methodology: This is an applied-developmental research study that uses descriptive analytical techniques.  We analyzed the attitudes of the researchers from different fields towards the selection of public libraries site criteria, based on the Topsis-Fuzzy technique, and represented the results on the Tabriz map using Arc GIS software.
Findings: The findings of the research include 21 criteria for locating the locations of public libraries. Moreover, based on the specified criteria and their importance, convenient space for public library buildings usage is represented on a map.
Originality/Value: The main contribution of the research is a new approach for locating public library sites based on the ideas of experts, the analysis of data by new techniques such as Topsis-Fuzzy, and the representation of the results on several map layers.
 

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Purpose: This study examines the role of intellectual capital (including human capital, structural capital and relational capital) in creating a sustainable competitive advantage in the public libraries of Khuzestan.
Methodology:  This is a descriptive research which aims to provide an explanation for the relationship between intellectual capital and competitive advantage. The sample community consisted of 200 librarians, library staff and middle managers of public libraries in Khuzestan. For the purpose of data analysis SPSS versions 20 and LISREL versions 8.8 are used.
Findings: The results showed that intellectual capital played a significant role in the creation of a sustainable competitive advantage.  The impact of human capital and structural capital on sustainable competitive advantage were confirmed, but the impact of relational capital on sustainable competitive advantage was not confirmed.
Originality/value: The findings of this study confirm that public libraries can improve their quality of performance by developing a sustainable competitive advantage based on intellectual capital.
 

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Purpose: To identify the role of the components of intellectual capital (human, structural and relational) in the performance of employees of the public libraries of the Western Azarbaijan Province in Iran.
Method: The current research is an applied study in terms of purpose and a descriptive-correlational study in terms of the data collection and analysis method. The statistical population of the research consists of 199 staff of the West Azarbaijan Province's public libraries. To collect data, the Bontis (1998) standard questionnaires on intellectual capital management and Hersey and Blanchard's questionnaire (1992) on employee performance were used with a 5-point Likert scale which contains items such as "knowledge and skills", "perception or imagination of role" and "organizational support". Normality of the data was established at the confidence level of %95 by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The data obtained were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential methods operated by SPSS software.
Findings: The results of linear regression analysis showed that human capital and structural capital could account for 6 percent of the employee performance variable, but was found the changes in the employee performance were not significantly associated with the changes in the relational capital. The results also indicate that the efficiency and effectiveness of the public libraries in Western Azarbaijan Province increase by paying more attention to the human and structure capitals and eliminating the barriers to improve the relational (i.e. customer) capital.
Originality/value: The findings showed that attention to the important role of intellectual capital in managerial, technical, social and economic development in public libraries can be decisive. Furthermore, intellectual capital enables the development of inovation in information technology and digital media in libraries and also enables the better service to members.
 

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Purpose: To design a model of public library services to the elderly and to validate it among the librarians in Tehran City.
Method: This is an applied research in terms of purpose using a mixed exploratory design. In the qualitative section of the current research, 19 experts and stakeholders in the field of elderly services were interviewed using a semi-structured in-depth interview technique. The data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method by the MAXQDA software and thus the components of the elderly service model were obtained. In the quantitative section, the research instrument (questionnaire) was developed and a sample of 114 librarians of Tehran was selected using the simple random sampling method. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by four faculty members and the factor validity was assessed by the factor analysis. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated by the Cronbach's alpha measure and was 0.941.
Findings: The proposed model for providing services to the elderly in public libraries has seven components which are as follows, respectively in terms of importance: "building and space", "equipment and tools of ancillary services", "materials and resources for the elderly", "internet services", "human resources", "and "planning and budget".
Originality/value: This paper directs the attention of public library managers to this fact  that based on the proposed model, they should identify the elderly's needs and thus provide different services and facilities for them to use public libraries. This will enable the proper and optimal use of their leisure time by elderly people and the advancement of libraries in offering services to visitors.