Introduction

Information protection is one of the most important issues in human history, culture, and economy. In the past, information was recorded in the form of engraving and writing on stone, ceramics, papyrus, wood, etc., but with the evolution of human civilization, the way to the emergence of new storage media and ways to record information was paved. A sudden change in the field of information storage with the invention of electronic storage media, including all types of disks, audio tapes, magnetic tapes, CDs, etc. V. Days, etc. took place. With the advent of high-speed networks and computers with high-performance quality (large memory and high processing speed), the use of technologies increased rapidly. These technologies enable libraries to easily produce, process, locate, store, and disseminate their information, as well as guarantee long-term protection of stored information and permanent access to that information (Samiei, 2016). With the rapid development of cloud computing, cloud storage and other information technologies, libraries and digital resources increasingly enable users to remotely access a wide range of distributed information resources, regardless of physical storage conditions (Zhu and Du, 2018). Cloud computing reduces the costs of using technology in libraries and expands the capacities and ability to use tools. Integration of resources and information in one space, speed, flexibility, providing services with the possibility of control and measurement, supply based on demand, access to a wide network (Shehzad, 2014), changing the shape of education, expanding cooperation, and most importantly reducing risk and increased security (Boyer & Arste, 2014) is one of the benefits of cloud computing for digital libraries. The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the views of managers and librarians of Allameh Tabataba’i University libraries regarding digital protection in the cloud environment.

Literature Review

There are new mechanisms in digital libraries that can be used in the field of digital protection to improve the security of digital resources, and one of these mechanisms is cloud computing. Cloud computing is a model for easily providing a type of network access based on user needs from a shared repository that is derived from configurable computing resources. Examples include networks, servers, applications, and services that are rapidly provisioned and available with minimal management effort and service provider interactions. In the studies that were conducted in the field of the role of cloud computing in library services, including the researches of Fermanlolilab (2015), Sepehr et al. (2015); Sadeghi (2016); Haddad Oskoui (2016); Ghazizadeh et al. (2017); Gabajeh (2011); Sosa-Sosa & Hernandez Ramiz (2012); Oliver & Knight (2015); Corrado & Molaison (2015); Yuvaraj (2016); Spence et al. (2019); Anuyako et al. (2019) and Shawvedi Sarkar (2020) found that the use of cloud computing facilities is effective in reducing costs, increasing productivity and communication. However, the categories of threats and information security are concerns related to the use of cloud computing in libraries. Also, in this regard, concerns about data ownership, portability and cloud portability, and in general, issues related to digital protection are the main bottlenecks in the adoption of cloud technology in digital libraries.

Methodology

The present study is applied in nature and with a descriptive survey method in two stages. In the first stage, by reviewing the texts of a researcher-made questionnaire with five components: "introduction to the concepts of digital preservation in the cloud", "trust and security of digital preservation in the cloud", "technological infrastructure of digital preservation in the cloud", "organizational status of digital preservation in the cloud environment "and "barriers and challenges of digital preservation in cloud" were prepared and provided to the administrators and librarians of Allameh Tabataba'i University libraries for a survey. This questionnaire was designed on a five-point Likert scale and its reliability was 0.852 using Cronbach's alpha. In the second stage, the collected data were analyzed based on descriptive statistics (mean, median, standard deviation, and variance) and one-sample t-test. Friedman test was also used to rank the factor of "possible challenges and barriers".

Results

The findings showed that the majority of the participants were moderately familiar with the concepts related to digital protection in the cloud environment. Also, from the point of view of managers and librarians of Allameh Tabataba’i University libraries, "the state of trust and security of data in cloud environment protection" and "the availability of technological infrastructure for cloud environment protection in the university" are at a favorable level (p>0.05 -the amount of). The "organizational state of the university for protection in the cloud environment" is at an average and relatively favorable level, and the "knowledge and awareness necessary for protection in the cloud environment among librarians" is at a relatively unfavorable level (p-value < 0.05). On the one hand, from the point of view of the managers and librarians of the libraries of Allameh Tabataba'i University, the most important obstacles and possible problems of protection in the cloud environment, "the risk of return of investment is one of the problems of using the cloud environment for digital protection", "the unaffordability of using the cloud environment is one of the problems using it for digital protection" and "unaffordability of training costs were one of the problems of using the cloud environment for digital protection".

Discussion

 Regarding the familiarization of library managers and librarians with the topics of digital protection in the cloud environment, it seems that the use of new technologies such as cloud computing in libraries requires more familiarity of managers and librarians with such technologies. Familiarity with the activities that take place in such environments will provide a suitable platform for accepting this technology and using it. In general, the respondents' level of familiarity with the issue of digital protection in the cloud environment was moderate. In the researches of Farmanlou Lilab (2015) and Vivaraj (2016), the application of cloud computing in university libraries was discussed and the relatively good level of familiarity of the employees with cloud computing was pointed out, which is consistent with the results of the present study.

Conclusion

 The results showed that managers and librarians of Allameh Tabataba’i University libraries were moderately familiar with issues related to digital protection in the cloud environment. According to the participants, the state of trust and security of data in cloud environment protection, the availability of technological infrastructure for cloud environment protection in the university at an optimal level, the university's organizational situation for cloud environment protection at a relatively favorable level, and the librarians’ necessary knowledge and awareness for protection in the cloud environment were at a relatively unfavorable level. Also, the obstacles and challenges facing digital protection in the cloud environment were approved by the respondents.