Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Allameh Tabataba’i University (ATU), Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Allameh Tabataba’i University (ATU), Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction
University libraries are among the most significant infrastructures supporting higher education, research productivity, and knowledge dissemination. In recent decades, rapid advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs), the growth of the Internet, and the increasing demand for remote access to scholarly materials have transformed traditional academic libraries into hybrid, electronic, and digital environments. Within this context, digital libraries have emerged as strategic institutions that facilitate timely, efficient, and equitable access to information resources regardless of geographical limitations.
Digital libraries are not merely repositories of digitized materials; rather, they are complex information systems that integrate technological infrastructure, digital collections, metadata standards, preservation mechanisms, and user-centered services. Their effectiveness largely depends on the quality, diversity, currency, accessibility, and subject coverage of their digital resources. For universities, especially those located in major metropolitan areas such as Tehran, digital libraries are expected to play a vital role in supporting teaching, learning, innovation, and scientific research.
Despite substantial investments in digital infrastructures, many academic institutions in developing contexts still face challenges such as outdated collections, insufficient policy frameworks, limited budgets, inadequate technical infrastructure, and a lack of coordinated collection development strategies. Therefore, evaluating the status of digital resources in university digital libraries is essential for evidence-based planning and improvement.
Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the status of digital resources in the digital libraries of public universities in Tehran and to propose practical strategies for improvement. The study sought to answer the following fundamental research questions:
What is the status of digital resources in the digital libraries of public universities in Tehran in terms of format diversity, file types, currency, and subject coverage?
What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) related to these digital resources?
What strategies can be proposed to improve the current condition of digital resources in these libraries?
Review of Literature
Previous studies indicate that digital libraries have become integral components of academic institutions worldwide. Research has emphasized that effective digital libraries enhance scholarly communication, facilitate access to electronic journals and books, and improve research output.
Domestic studies in Iran have shown that PDF remains the dominant format for textual resources, while JPEG is common for image-based materials. Other studies have reported that electronic books and journals receive the highest priority in collection development, whereas multimedia resources often remain underrepresented. Investigations into Iranian digital libraries have also highlighted persistent problems such as insufficient infrastructure, limited funding, lack of updated policies, and inadequate evaluation mechanisms.
International research similarly confirms that successful digital libraries require strong collection development policies, sustainable budgets, qualified staff, robust ICT infrastructure, and continuous assessment of user needs. Studies conducted in countries such as Nigeria, India, and Saudi Arabia have underscored the importance of strategic planning, staff training, technological investment, and balanced digital collections.
Although previous studies have addressed certain dimensions of digital libraries, fewer studies have comprehensively assessed digital resources from multiple perspectives, including content diversity, updating practices, and strategic environmental analysis. The present study attempts to fill this gap by offering a holistic evaluation of digital resources in Tehran’s public university digital libraries.
Methodology
This research was an applied study conducted using a survey design and a quantitative approach. In terms of data collection, it was a field study employing a researcher-developed checklist as the main instrument. The checklist consisted of ten sections covering demographic information, types of digital resource formats, availability of digital resources, file types, collection size, subject areas, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Content validity was confirmed through expert review by specialists in library and information science. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, which demonstrated acceptable internal consistency.
The statistical population consisted of all digital libraries of public universities located in Tehran. Since the number of institutions was manageable, the study employed a census method rather than sampling. Nineteen university digital libraries were included in the final analysis.
Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics through SPSS and spreadsheet software. Descriptive measures included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Inferential tests included one-sample t-tests, Friedman ranking tests, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. In addition, SWOT analysis was used to formulate strategic recommendations.
Findings
The findings revealed that textual materials constituted the dominant content format in the digital libraries studied. Approximately 50% of libraries reported text as the primary format of their information resources. Multimedia and video resources were comparatively rare.
Regarding resource types, electronic books represented 25.4% of the reported digital resources, while electronic theses and dissertations were among the most widely available resources across institutions. All libraries reported the use of PDF as a major file format, indicating the overwhelming dominance of this standard.
In relation to collection updating, the highest increase during the month preceding data collection was observed in electronic theses/dissertations (84.2%) and electronic books (47.4%). However, many libraries reported no recent growth in electronic journals, audiovisual materials, or other specialized formats. This suggests that updating practices are uneven and relatively limited.
Concerning subject coverage, humanities resources accounted for 69% of reported digital materials, followed by science/engineering, medicine, arts, and other fields. This distribution reflects the disciplinary orientation of many public universities in Tehran, but also suggests imbalances in subject representation.
The SWOT analysis identified several strengths, including simultaneous access to resources, ease of access, the existence of written policies in some institutions, adequate backup procedures, and staff familiarity with ICT.
Major weaknesses included slow Internet speed, insufficient ICT infrastructure, lack of comprehensive software systems, shortage of hardware, budget limitations, and restricted institutional autonomy in resource acquisition.
Among external opportunities were expansion of ICT infrastructure, inter-library networking, becoming a national reference digital library system, user attraction through quality collections, and the possibility of interlibrary lending at national and international levels.
The principal threats included unilateral or unqualified staffing decisions, difficulties in subscription renewal, changing administrative policies, insufficient recognition of libraries’ developmental role, lack of access to databases, and financial instability.
Discussion and Conclusion
The results indicate that the digital libraries of public universities in Tehran currently resemble electronic libraries more than fully developed digital libraries. While they provide access to digitized textual materials, especially theses and electronic books, they still lack the diversity, technological maturity, interoperability, and strategic management expected of advanced digital library systems.
The dominance of PDF and text-based materials suggests that collection development has focused primarily on conventional scholarly outputs rather than multimedia, data-rich, or interactive resources increasingly required in contemporary higher education. Similarly, the limited updating of many collections raises concerns regarding resource currency and relevance.
The study further demonstrates that organizational and structural issues—such as limited autonomy, insufficient budgets, inadequate infrastructure, and inconsistent policy support—significantly constrain digital library development. These findings are consistent with previous national and international studies emphasizing that successful digital libraries require not only technology, but also governance, planning, and sustainable investment.
Based on the SWOT analysis, several strategic recommendations are proposed: expanding ICT infrastructure, increasing budgetary support, developing integrated software platforms, enhancing staff training, adopting clear collection development policies, strengthening inter-library cooperation, and diversifying resource formats beyond text-based materials.
In conclusion, although public universities in Tehran have taken meaningful steps toward digital transformation, substantial progress is still required before their libraries can be considered fully developed digital libraries. Continuous evaluation, strategic planning, and institutional commitment are essential to improving the quality and effectiveness of digital resources and ensuring that these libraries can adequately support research and education in the digital age.
Keywords
- Digital resources
- digital libraries
- digital university libraries
- public universities
- strengths and weaknesses
- opportunities and threats
- solutions
Main Subjects
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