Search

Co-authorship networks consist of nodes and numerous links indicating scientific collaboration of researchers. These networks could be studied through social networks analysis and data mining techniques. The focus of the article is twofold: the first objective is the analysis of the co-authorship networks of the top 60 countries that had the highest number of scientific publications in the world, and the second one is the discovery of collaboration patterns of highly cited papers of these countries. To do so, all scientific publications of the top 60 countries in all fields as well as their highly cited papers were included in the study period between 2011 and 2015. The research samples in the first part included 10,460,999 documents and in the second part encompassed 711,025 highly cited papers. Required data were extracted from web of science database. To analyse co-authorship networks, centrality indices and clustering coefficient were used. UCINET, Pajek, VOSviewer and BibExcel software were used to map co-authorship networks of the countries and to calculate indices. Finally, the discovery of collaboration patterns in highly cited papers is studied through association rules. The research data indicated that over 95% of documents has been produced by the top 60 countries. In addition, the USA, Germany, England, France and Spain launched the most co-authorship. Quantitatively, there have been the most powerful collaboration links between China and the USA, the USA and England, the USA and Germany, and the USA and Canada. The clustering data indicated that collaborations of the top countries of the world were in three main clusters. The Friedman test showed that there was a significant difference in the priorities of the countries for collaboration; and the USA, China, England, Germany, France, Japan and Italy are in the top priority for collaboration, respectively. The results of collaboration pattern in highly cited papers indicated that the USA participates in more than half of collaboration patterns for producing highly cited papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 21 authors of this study, 19 of whom are non-native English speakers, reflect on the barriers to publishing academic journal articles in top international journals. Each author responded to the same set of questions pertaining to educational (PhD) opportunities for emerging scholars, financial conditions for researchers, and challenges in publishing their work. Limited English language skills, lack of research funding, and different research topics were identified as the most significant barriers to publish in the journals. Recruiting volunteers or using electronic translations for accepted articles for journals, reducing software and subscription to academic journals costs, expanding journal scope, and providing guidance and collaboration across borders are possible measures to reduce the negative impact of the barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to compare the attitude of the managers of libraries located at Iran, Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciences Universities' training hospitals, on the status of information technology (IT) in the mentioned libraries. Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a researcher-made questionnaire. The managers of 40 hospital libraries of Iran, Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Universities formed the population of the research. To analyze the collected data, the statistical software SPSS (version 17) was used. Findings: Results showed that 12.5 per cent of Tehran, 15.6 per cent of Iran and 25 per cent of Shahid Beheshti Universities library managers agreed, to a very large extent, on the application and development of IT and its tools and 93.7 per cent of the managers from all three hospital libraries deemed the application of IT most necessary. The managers believed that the greatest advantage of IT is concerned with the reduction of human efforts (59.4 per cent), and 100 per cent of the managers acknowledged the need for further promotion of their skills in a wide variety of IT issues. In total, 16.1 per cent at Tehran, 12.9 per cent at Iran and 29 per cent at Shahid Beheshti University considerably approved of formal education for the promotion of their librarians' skills. Originality/value: This study is a step towards acknowledging the contribution, status, and value of hospital libraries to the health sector by the library managers in theory and practice, in the shadow of considering their librarians as network experts, information media and system designers, and technology experts. (Contains 6 tables and 1 figure.)

Purpose: The present research aims to identify the difficulties and obstacles for developing digital libraries in the seven regional branches of Islamic Azad University (IAU), Iran, and to study the status of librarians' skills and education programmes at these institutions. Design/methodology/approach: The 40 individuals working in the regional branch libraries of IAU were surveyed by a questionnaire consisting of 34 questions, and the collected data were analysed using SPSS software (version 16). Findings: It was found that the most important difficulties are the lack of suitable equipment and untrained personnel (i.e. a lack of sufficient training programmes). Research limitations/implications: Because of the small number of participants, it is suggested that a larger scale study is carried out. It is also proposed that the suggestions made by the participants will be considered and implemented, based on the digital library (DL) developments in academic libraries in different countries. Practical implications: It is expected that with improved library management, and the solving of the problems highlighted, through suitable training programmes, librarians will contribute more actively and effectively in establishing and managing DLs in the surveyed libraries. Originality/value: This research can contribute to existing knowledge in the areas of information technology and digital library management, especially in academic arenas. The paper helps librarians do their best in the new environments. (Contains 2 tables and 4 figures.)

The purpose of this article is to provide criteria for native model of social cataloging sites based on the world's most visited, popular social cataloging site's components. Social cataloging sites are a kind of web-based social media that allows users to interact. This is an applied research and the research method is library and descriptive scrolling. First, by reviewing the scientific literature and resources, a list consists of 14 criteria which included 73 extracted components, then finalized in Delphi and evaluated was used. The community studied also includes three social cataloging sites, which have the most visitors on the Alexa ranking. The results of this study showed that the total score for the fourteen criteria considered in this study was 173/31 points. The average of observance of criteria in all social cataloging sites (58.10%) is above the average and is in a favorable situation. Goodreads ranked first among the sites listed in the study list with 46 points (63.01%), after that LT is ranked second by the score of 45 points (61.64%) and anobi reached third rank with 36.25 points (49.65). All of the components examined in this study are important and the search facilities with an average of 9.70 have the highest importance and error messages with an average of 9.24 are ranked second. Key words: social media, social cataloging sites, Goodreads, Librarything, Anobii., Introduction and problem statement The advancement of technology and machine life has increased the need for information as it transformed the way people live, so that today information is becoming [...]

The purpose of this thesis is to identify the Components of International Social Cataloging Sites in users and expert's perspective by exploring the wourlds most visited populer social cataloging sites. This is an applied research and the research method is library and descriptive scrolling. First, by reviewing the scientific literature and resources, a list consists of 14 criteria (display features, screen organization, search facilities, links, options and visual icons, text customization, user help and guidance, error messages, The possibility of interaction and feedback, user interface language, user control, template types (format), resources available on the site, the possibility of studying the source retrieved from the site, and other facilities), which included 73 extracted components, then finalized in Delphi and evaluated was used. The results of this study showed that all of the components examined in this study are important. The ability to provide regular advice to readers with an average of 4.52 has the highest significance from the perspective of users and experts, and then, the access to the site and the rest of the main sectors from the homepage and vice versa is at the second rank with a score of 4.42. Key words: social media, social cataloging sites, Goodreads, Librarything, Anobii., Introduction & Statement of Problem The advancement of technology and machine life have changed the people lifestyle and increased their need for information as well. Thus, information has turned nowadays [...]

Purpose: Due to the digital revolution and increasing development of ICTs, and the entrance of national as well as international organizations to such an arena, the foundation of transparency is formed through virtual environments including organizational websites. As a result of the importance of this subject, i.e. transparency, and also, the undeniable role of human rights international organizations, the present research aims to explain and evaluate the transparency status of websites at these organizations. Methodology: To do this, firstly, the research population consisting of 11 human rights international organizations was selected. A questionnaire revolving around 3 main dimensions (access to information, contribution to/engagement in decision making, and access to outputs) was developed and utilized, and then, the gathered data were analyzed. Findings: Based on the analysis of collected data, UNESCO (with 100 percent coverage of transparency items) and HRWF (with 40 percent coverage of transparency items) were the best and the worst performers, respectively. Moreover, the three organizations "International Labor Organization", "World Health Organization", and "United Nations Children's Fund" (joint second rank with 97.5 percent coverage of transparency items), "Civil Rights Defenders" (third rank with 92.5 percent coverage of transparency items), "Anti-Slavery International" (fourth rank with 90 percent coverage of transparency items), "United Nations" (fifth rank with 87.5 percent coverage of transparency items), FIAN (sixth rank with 75 percent coverage of transparency items), "Amnesty International" (seventh rank with 72.5 percent coverage of transparency items), and "Center for Economic and Social Rights" (eighth rank with 67.5 percent coverage of transparency items) were identified. Conclusion: Finally, the overall performance of the international organizations of human rights was evaluated as acceptable. Regardless of the current situation, in line with much more performance and so better transparency, some recommendations revolving around the three main dimensions (i.e., access to information, contribution to/engagement in decision making, and access to outputs) were emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses forecasting approach based on key driving forces and their interactions in order to identify important driving forces affecting the future of academic libraries in Iran. The study is a combination of literature review, experts' opinions and cross impact analysis. In order to analyze the data, SPSS and MicMac applications were used. This is an applied study and the study population consisted of a group of stakeholders with dynamic roles in the future of academic libraries or those with clear pictures regarding the current trends in academic libraries worldwide. Experts were selected using purposeful sampling and included faculty members and researchers in the field of information science and scientometrics, as well as managers and librarians of academic libraries. After literature review, 70 driving forces were identified and categorized in 9 categories. The interaction between these driving forces was evaluated by experts selected from the study population. After evaluating direct and indirect interactions between these forces using MicMac software, 13 key driving forces were identified. The findings of this study indicated that driving forces of "systemic and creative thinking of library management", "consistency between library managers expertise with information and scientometrics fields", "development of strategic plans for libraries", "welcoming of changes by the employees", "place as one of the bases of educational system", "electronic publishing", "preparation of curriculum books", " online citation resources", "nature of information and access methods", "development of information and communication technologies", "knowledge management in library planning", "electronic content creation", and "documents management", had the largest effects on future of academic libraries. Also the findings of this study indicated that driving forces of "systemic and creative thinking of library management" and "consistency between library managers' expertise with information and scientometrics fields" had the highest frequency related to being in a suitable situation with average of 1.92 and total of 25 positive scores. Key driving forces of "Development of strategic plans for libraries" and "welcoming of changes by the employees" with the average of 0.69 and total of 9 positive scores had the next places and had the largest effects on future of academic libraries. The analysis of the results indicates two facts regarding academic libraries. The first fact is that, through a small amount of effort, academic libraries are able to retain their traditional position in educational institutes. The second fact is that distancing the general process of academic libraries from critical and undesirable results, requires four main activities including "development of strategic plans for libraries", "using employees who are enthusiastic regarding change", "compatibility between managers' specialties and information science and scientometrics" and "systemic thoughts and creativity of library managers". The results of this study can be used for decision making and planning of higher education managers and authorities. Identifying the driving forces and their interactions can be used for decision making and planning for the future of academic libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this article is to present a model for information-seeking behaviour with an emphasis on unplanned and planned behaviour of users in using library resources and services. The working method was that, reviewing the literature and previous information behaviour models, such as Wilson, Ellis, Kuhlthau, and Dervin models, this article proposes a novel model of information-seeking behaviour for library users. Our model of information-seeking behaviour was developed by combining the existing models of planned information-seeking behaviour with the focus on the factors affecting unplanned rather than planned behaviour of users in accessing resources or services. Our proposed model for information-seeking behaviour of clients has two main parts. The first part planned behaviour resulting from a problem or a certain information need according to which the user seeks to find information in a planned manner. The second part deals with unplanned behaviour shaped by a hidden or uncertain information need. Finally, both types of behaviour can result in the discovery, extraction, collection and use of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The use of Internet for identifying valuable and timely information has become inevitable for most scientists as well as the public with access to the World Wide Web, since [...]

Introduction The word 'caricature' is derived from the Italian word 'caricatare' or 'carcate' which means 'exaggerate'. Caricatures play an influential social and political role. Caricatures can illustrate the sufferings of [...]

Infopreneurship is the art of entrepreneurship using information and helps infopreneurs to struggle and stand in an arena called fair (bazaar) and make benefits with once they succeed. Hence, this research was conducted with the aim of providing a model for online Infopreneurship in Iran. The present research is an applied one in terms of its purpose, and carried out through quantitative approach and analytical survey method. The statistical population of this study included1835 directors and experts of websites and online businesses across Iran. Sampling was done randomly in through stratified simply class and 320 people were selected using Krejcie and Morgan table. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were analyzed using one-group T-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, analysis of variance and factor analysis. The findings of this study showed that structural, behavioral, field, strategic, and consequential factors are correlated with the correlation coefficient of 0.74, 0.73, 0.75, 0.68 and 0.18 with the variables of Infopreneurship, and were significant at p <0.05. The high middle or high level online business companies include these factors. Eventually, a model of Infopreneurship was represented in relation to online businesses in Iran. Based on the suggested model, it can be concluded that the more the online information businesses in Iran enjoy the identified factors, the more the amount of infopruneurship and its consequences will be, and that such a model can be used as a comprehensive road map for individuals, organizations and online information businesses interested in infopruneurship in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tries to investigate the rate of meeting goals of Public Libraries 2025 Vision and compare this situation in 2025 with that of in 2010 and 2015. So, different situations in three different years, namely, 2010, 2015, and 2025 have been compared by taking into account the indicators regarding 2025 vision document using related data taken from public libraries in each province separately. The findings show that the current situation of the five indicators studied in 2025 has significant difference compared with that of in 2015. Also a comparison between the current situation in 2015 and a past one in 2010 shows a significant difference and an increase in them in terms of three indicators, space, resources and employee. It should be mentioned that there are not a significant difference between these two years, 2010 and 2015, regarding two indicators, book borrowing and membership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]