Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Ph.D. student of Department of Communication & Knowledge Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Faculty member of Department of Communication & Knowledge Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Faculty member of Department of Library & Information science, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
4 Faculty member of Department of Communication & Knowledge Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The main purpose of this study is to analyze the strategic role of the public libraries in the Iran Geopolitics of Information This is an applied research with a mixed method (qualitative-quantitative) approach. To collect qualitative information, a semi-structured interview has been used. In the quantitative part, a researcher-made questionnaire Based on the result of the qualitative part, has been used. The statistical population of the research in the qualitative section includes 13 experts and university professors who were selected by a purposeful method based on criteria and has been analyzed using qualitative content analysis method. The findings of quantitative part has been analyzed using factor analysis. The population of the quantitative part, included the head managers and deputies of the general administrations of the Iran's public libraries (70 people) and the librarians of the provinces that have main and central public libraries from five clusters of north, south, east, west and center of Iran, including 10 provinces & 160 librarians. 201 complete questionnaires were received. Findings shows that, libraries have an implicitly role in strengthening cultural identity and increasing public awareness, especially in terms of strengthening Iranian-Islamic identity, as one of the three main components of geopolitics, but this role is not designed for a specific mission and It is also not clearly explained in upstream documents. Also, based on the findings, the centralized resources acquisition by the Iran Public Libraries Foundation for all public libraries in an integrated manner that there is not any clear role of users need in the selection process is inconsistent with the Free-Flow of Information approach. Other points of emphasis in the findings were: national policymakers should pay attention to the role of public libraries as a public discourse space in transmitting culture and information and a base for strengthening the power of soft defense, training and explaining the specific role for librarians, developing technological infrastructure of libraries, providing resources based on local needs and the audience needs, continuous and purposeful monitoring of activities and increasing the number of service recipients from public libraries.
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