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Purpose: The current research aims to investigate the status of knowledge sharing amongst librarians in LIS, ALA and ALIA discussion groups.
Methodology: Through purposive sampling, librarians from three discussion groups (ALA, ALIA & LIS-Iranian discussion list) who announced their intention to participate in the research  (460 people) were asked to complete the questionnaire between 2010/10/23 – 2011/ 05/22 This is a survey research and  a type of applied research. Data was collected from 400 questionnaires that were completed by respondents.
Findings: The results showed that participants from the three discussion groups have both active behavior and a positive attitude towards knowledge sharing. The LIS Librarians' knowledge has been evaluated as being lower than the knowledge of librarians on the other two mailing lists. According to the findings, there are meaningful differences between the knowledge, behavior and attitude of librarians towards knowledge sharing in the three discussion groups. In regard to inhibitors and motivators of knowledge sharing, the findings showed that, there were differences in the attitudes of librarians of the three groups in relation to the effective individual, organizational and technological knowledge sharing factors. In addition, there were meaningful differences between the attitudes of the LIS, ALA &ALIA regarding the degree of influence of motivators and inhibitors on knowledge sharing. The greatest number of librarians from all the three groups used electronic methods for sharing knowledge, but the rate of their usage was different. Overall, the status of knowledge sharing amongst librarians in ALIA and ALA electronic discussion groups was considered to be better than that of librarians in LIS.
Originality/Value: This article is pioneer in the study of knowledge sharing on the basis of behavior, knowledge, and attitudes of librarians among ALA, ALIA & LIS-Iranian discussion list.
 

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Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of public libraries in Golestan province (Iran) by using Balanced Scorecard (BSC) -a relatively new and multidimensional model to evaluate the holistic performance of organizations- in 2013.
Methodology: This applied study was a descriptive survey. Its statistic population from customer's perspective was included all 28,700 members of the public libraries in the province. 375 members were selected by using a random sampling. From learning and growth perspective, the statistic population as census method was included all 98 public librarians of Golestan province. From internal processes perspective, Gorgan Mir-Findiriski Public Library was selected as a purposeful sample and its status was compared with IFLA standards for public libraries. From financial perspective, a checklist was used to gather financial data of Golestan Province Department of Public Libraries in the two fiscal years of 2011 and 2012. Two researcher-made questionnaires were provided to collect data from the customer perspective (users), and learning and growth one (employees). Validity of the questionnaires was obtained using expert views and the reliability of users and staff questionnaire were a = .967 and a = .968, respectively.
Findings: The performance evaluation from the customer perspective of the balanced scorecard showed that users' satisfaction of the library services was satisfying, and from learning and growth perspective, the employees' satisfaction was average. From internal processes perspective, in comparison with the IFLA standards, Mir Findiriski Public Library was in low level, and from the financial perspective, the percentages of achieving the indicators of revenues and expenses of Golestan Province Department of Public Library were respectively less than expected level, and equal to expected level.
Originality/values: We tried to show the weakness of Golestan Public Libraries (Iran) in the effective attraction of users. It seems that imperfect absorption of revenues affected the performance of public libraries.