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Purpose: The purpose of this research is to study the role of public libraries in increasing social assets and the essential components for creation and development of those assets.
Method: In this research, a qualitative approach and an underlying theory method have been used. Of all the public libraries in Tehran, four of the best ranks were selected. By a theoretical sampling method, selection was also made of 41 library members, 16 librarian, and 53 citizens from the potential population of library users. The required data were collected through observation and semi-structured interviews. The collected data were analyzed using a theoretical coding method.
Findings: The findings show that public libraries have failed to play a key role in the development of social assets for citizens. The results suggest that the factors which cause a shortage of social assets in public libraries include the low quantity and quality of library services, low social interaction in public libraries, citizens' unequal access to information and people’s distrust in the organizations that manage public libraries.
Originality/value: This research is the first one which has dealt with the role of public libraries in social assets. With regard to the use of an underlying theory strategy, it is an attempt to work out a theory and to suggest the necessary components to be used by public libraries for creating social assets. 
 

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Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine 18 issues of the journal of Information Science and Public Libraries.
Methodology: This is a survey- descriptive study with a bibliometric approach. Citation analysis,  one of the most popular bibliometric techniques, is used. The research population includes 18 issues of the Journal of Information Science and Public Libraries from the beginning of autumn 2008 (1387) to the end of winter 2011 (1391).
Findings: The results show the low level of participation by women, but the high level of male participation, in the writing of papers. Public universities, including Tehran University, have the largest share of scientific collaboration with the journal. In terms of the authors' fields, the collaboration of experts in the disciplines of "Library and Information Science" and Management was greater than that of experts from other fields of study. The average number of articles published in each issue of the journal was 7.7. Publication delays in the acceptance of  papers indicate that the highest number of papers was accepted by the Journal in 2-3 months. Most of the journal's papers were scholarly research papers.  Citing of the English language materials and of the papers occurred more than citing of other types of materials.
Originality/Value: The results of citation and bibliometric studies could be important for a range of audiences, including readers, authors, librarians and journal editorials, as these sorts of studies can show a clear picture of the journal function.
 

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Purpose: This research aimed at the investigation of the readability level of 100 prominent authored fiction books for B, C, and D age groups, selected by Children's Book Council of Iran as an official institute for labeling and assigning level of children’s books in Iran.

Methodology: Evaluative research method was used for the implementation of this research. Research population consisted of 100 authored books, selected as “prominent” by the Council. Flesch/Dayani and Gunning/Dayani formulas were used as evaluative tools.

Findings: Results indicated that on the basis of scores extracted from Flesch/Dayani formula, 54/76 percent of the books correctly labeled by the Council as B, C and D. Again, Results showed that on the basis of Gunning/Dayani formula, 45/24 percent of the books correctly labeled by Council as B, C and D and 44/76 percent of the books have not been labeled correctly.

Originality/Value: We tried in this research to evaluate the act of labeling books, implemented by “Children’s Book Council” and the result of such an evaluation was some corrections in the formulas

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Purpose: This research aims to investigate characteristics of vandalism in Iran public libraries with an emphasis on local community features such as level of wealth, crime and cultural proximity and their relations.
Methodology: A descriptive-analytical survey method was used for the research. The data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire. Validity and reliability of the tool were appoaved methodologically. The research population was included all the 2225 public libraries of Iran Public Libraries Foundation in the year 2015. Using cluster random sampling, 248 public library were selected from 13 province in Iran. The collected data was analysed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics (one-sample t-test and Spearman correlation test).
Findings: Results indicated that the highest scale of vandalism was related to writing  and carving on the library furnitures and equipments (99.2 percent), interior walls (91.5 percent), external walls (85.1 percent). The least scale of vandalism was related to theft of library materials and breaking library glases and lamps (0.4 percent). Besides, output of inferrential statistics were confirmed the correlation between level of wealth and crime of users with library vandalism and weren’t confirmed correlation between cultural proximity and the number of library members with library vandalism. The results also indicated that there was significant differences between the measure and scale of internal and external vandalism in a way that the internal vandalism is more greater than external one.
OriginalityValue: We attemted to find the prevalent features of vandalism in public libraries of Iran and correlation of vandalism with some social features. Public libraries should conduct some tactics against writing and curving on furnitures while some aspects of vandalism is related to local economical conditions.
 

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Purpose: This paper explores factors affecting delays in returning borrowed materials in public libraries in the province of East Azerbaijan.
Method: Data mining techniques were employed to extract data from the organization's MIS called SAMAN. SPSS version 21 and Clementine version 12 were used for analysis.
Findings: Results of Childe algorithm test showed that borrowing limitation, age of the borrower, class of membership, and gender were accordingly affecting delays. Members allowed to borrow more items, commited more delays. This factor was divided into three groups by age, namely under 15 yld with 33 percent, between 15 and 26 yld with 41 percent, and over 26 yld with 44 percent of delays.
Originality value: Classification and description of large data create a clear view of the phenomenon. The results can be used in specific programs for each target group to reduce delays.
 

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Purpose: The purpose of this research is to determine the categories and issues that were considered by national policymakers in the field of public libraries of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This study seeks to identify those issues and problems for which policymakers have been trying to find solutions by analyzing the content of policy documents.
Method: This research is a qualitative research that has been conducted by using the content analysis method. The research population includes the text of policies, laws and regulations adopted by public policy makers in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In this regard, nine important provisions specifically addressing public libraries are examined and analyzed. These laws and regulations include "the Establishment and Administration of Public Libraries Law", "the Executive Regulations of the Establishment and Administration of Public Libraries Law", "the decision to add the Iran Public Libraries Foundation to the list of institutions subject to paragraph "b" of Article (11) of National Recruitment Law", "Amendment of the Executive Regulations of the Establishment and Administration of Public Libraries Law", " Document of Beneficial Reading Movement", "beneficiary of Iran Public Libraries Foundation from the individual and legal persons as funds subject to article (172) of the Amendment of Direct Taxes Law approved in 1992", "the deduction from the total credits related to municipals revenues and payment to the Iran Public Libraries Foundation by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance (Treasury of the Country)", "article 64 of the Law on Adding Some Articles to Regulation of Part of Government Financial Regulations Law (2)", "the approval of Public Culture Council of the country regarding the promotion of book and book reading culture". MAXQDA qualitative data analysis software was used for coding the research data. Furthermore, in order to ensure the reliability of this study, validity, reliability, transferability and verifiability criteria were used.
Findings: The research findings indicated that in the studied documents policies have been made for five issues including "Reading Promotion policies", "Management of Financial and Administrative Affairs of Public Libraries of the Country", "Construction and Development of Public Libraries of the Country", "Management of Library Services" "and "designation of actors in the public libraries in Iran". Examination of the documents showed that the issue of reading promotion policies were taken into consideration in the "Document of Beneficial Reading Movement" and the "Sanctioned regulation of Iran's Public Culture Council regarding the promotion of book and book reading culture" and many actors and stakeholders have been taken into account by policymakers in these documents. The three remained issues have been covered by other Laws and regulation. Furthermore, the role of various actors and stakeholders in public libraries was reviewed and classified in accordance with the provisions of the sanctioned laws and regulation. Based on the analysis, nine groups of actors and stakeholders were identified, including public library administrators, financial resource providers, users, community, employees, government, media, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
Originality/value: This research is the first to examine the issues covered in the national policy documents of public libraries in Iran. Furthermore, the value of this study lies in that it explains the issues of interest to policymakers and public library policymaking institutions in the past as well as it helps to identify the gaps of national policymaking on public libraries too.

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Purpose: Identifying key issues in an area is the first step in the public policy process. The purpose of this study is to identify the national policy issues of Iranian public libraries from the perspective of policy makers and experts in this field.
Method: This research is an applied and qualitative research that was conducted using the grounded theory method. Furthermore, in order to reach a consensus in results, the focus group method was used. The research population consisted of experts and specialists in the field of public policy, cultural policy, as well as experts and specialists in the field of public libraries. The research sample included 27 members of the research population, who were selected using theoretical sampling method. In the final stage, six people were selected from 27 experts to form a focus group. The data required for this study were obtained from semi-structured interviews with members of the research sample, which were coded and analyzed using MAXQDA (a qualitative data analysis software) and Excel. In order to insure accuracy and reliability of this study, the criteria of validity, reliability, verifiability and transferability were used.
Findings: The research findings indicated that ‘lack of a common meaning of public libraries in the country (between experts, policymakers and the public)’, ‘the imbalance between decision-making and national policy-making and local policy-making’, and ‘the capability of weak managers in the field of public libraries (policy-making, decision-making and execution)’ are the national policy issues of Iran’s public libraries. Moreover, by examining the relationships between categories and considering the central categories, the issue of ‘conflict between national policy and local policy of public libraries’ was identified as the main issue of national policy of public libraries in Iran, on which the members of the focus group reached a consensus.
Originality/value: The positive point of this research is in that it made use of the views of both public policy makers and public libraries’ experts to identify key issues. It is one of the first studies to examine public library issues in the national policy of public libraries in Iran by using a qualitative method. Furthermore, it is original in subject and research method.

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Purpose: Public libraries are faced with technological changes and unknown issues that can change their identity and mission in charting the future path for their role in social developments. In line with the use of new approaches to redefine the mission of libraries, the present research intends to provide a vision for Iran’s public libraries by using the implications of resilience theory.
Method: This research was designed and implemented in the form of a three-step process: 1. studying the implications of the characteristics of a resilient system, 2. Environmental scanning through literature review by searching for research and review articles, books and reports in English language related to the subject indexed in Scopus and Google Scholar databases without applying time limits, and 3. prospecting.
Findings: A resilient library has the characteristics of diversity, changeability, modularity, acceptance of slow variables, intensive feedback, social capital, innovation, ecosystem services, redundancy and publics. Among the general examples of using these features in public libraries are: using technologies at different levels and updating resources and services and library space; intellectual and skill preparation of librarians and continuous monitoring of previous experience and knowledge and current conditions; dividing the library into different departments and its federal administration; Pathology in libraries and continuous identification and follow-up of changes, though small, in various dimensions of human, environment and technology; Follow-up by managers of the conditions of each department and continuous follow-up and analysis of users’ opinions in order to satisfy them; Providing a communication platform and providing social information services in order to strengthen social capital, social cohesion, and social justice; Innovation in the thinking and action of librarians and their decisions and services; and identifying and introducing the highlights of the library to attract more audience. The future library is a phygital platform and a built space for shared co-creation. Resilient library as an experience center is a point of access for citizens to emerging technologies and a platform for popularizing science and practicing civil epistemology. The future library has a modular management structure and is a place for learning, re-learning and more importantly going beyond previous learning.
Originality/value: Resilience theory has been developed to describe and address the inherent uncertainty and insecurity of major changes of systems, acknowledging that we live in a state of constant change and that there is no point in the future where we can expect everything to be static and optimal. take Therefore, libraries should not focus their energy on creating ways to continue the usual and traditional services in the future, but should look for ways to adapt intelligently to changes. The current research can be a good guide in this field for public libraries.

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Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic, as an unforeseen phenomenon, brought about many changes both in the services and the way service organizations provide services. Public libraries and their services also faced many challenges as a social and service center. The purpose of the current research is to identify the experiences of the librarians of Tehran City Park Central Library during the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, while examining the changes in the activities and services of different departments of the library due to the spread of the coronavirus, the new approaches used, and the necessity of their application and continuation in the post-corona period were investigated from the perspective of the librarians of Tehran City Park Central Library.

Method: This research is applied and was conducted using a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview that was conducted face-to-face. The research population included 13 librarians of Tehran City Park Central Library, who worked in different sections of the library during the corona and post-corona periods. The interviews were conducted in the winter of 2023 and the data analysis was done in the spring of 2023. In order to analyze and code the research data (interviews), MAXQDA 2020 software was used.

Findings: By coding the interviews, 436 concepts were obtained, which were categorized into a total of 103 categories. Finally, by re-examining, the core categories were identified and shown in the form of models resulting from the analysis. The creation of technological infrastructure, the need to improve the specialized and technological abilities of librarians, the need to mechanize library processes and the continuity of library activities in cyberspace, were 4 categories that were obtained from the analysis of the research data. These four categories are the necessary measures and infrastructure to prepare as much as possible for critical conditions in order to improve the performance of the library. Although the lack of conditions for providing services due to the spread of coronavirus caused the complete closure of Tehran City Park Central Library, the need to provide services in special conditions along with acquiring the necessary capabilities to be present in the virtual space, led to the use of new methods in providing services. Holding virtual cultural events, providing cyber reference services, book courier services, i.e., homebound book delivery, were among the services that had not been specifically addressed before the outbreak of COVID-19. The findings also indicate the need to deal with measures and infrastructures to prepare as much as possible for critical conditions in order to improve the performance of the library. The effectiveness of these measures and methods in the post-corona period from the point of view of librarians and their emphasis on the need to strengthen these methods shows that their continuation has provided an acceptable situation for the provision of services and cultural events and educational programs of the library.

Originality/value: The strength of this research is the examination of the changes made in the way of providing services during the outbreak of COVID-19 and their application in the post-corona period, which has shown that the threat of coronavirus has created an opportunity to change and improve some library activities from the point of view of librarians, since according to the special position of this library and its new approaches, it can be a model for other public libraries in Iran.

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