Purpose: The advancement of information and communication technologies and the capabilities of modern software have fundamentally expanded the use of various communication media across dimensions of form, time, and space, and have transformed the concepts of literacy, reading, and study. Among the major impacts of these technologies is the change in the nature of information resources from production to application. This study aimed to identify the evaluation criteria of Iranian e-reader software.
Methods: This applied and descriptive research employed a documentary method and the Delphi technique. The statistical population consisted of 30 experts and faculty members. Ten of the most widely used Iranian e-reader applications—identified based on the number of downloads on Google Play—were examined. Data were collected through a two-stage questionnaire. In the first stage, 115 evaluation criteria were presented as items to the Delphi panel. Following expert feedback, 82 criteria were approved and then re-distributed among the panel members in the second round. Data analysis was conducted using principal component analysis and chi-square tests in SPSS version 26.
Findings: The results revealed significant shortcomings across all examined components of Iranian e-reader software. These deficiencies highlight the necessity of developing strategies to enhance features and functionalities, improve accessibility, and foster user engagement and distinctive competencies.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that Iranian e-reader software faces critical challenges in all evaluation criteria. Sustainable improvement requires reliance on standardized evaluation measures. Implementing strategies for capability development, accessibility enhancement, and creating distinctive and engaging features is essential to meet user needs.