Application of information technologies in academic libraries

Purpose - The main purpose of this investigation is to define the status of the application of information technology in academic libraries located in Kerman, the center and largest city of Kerman Province, Iran, and to understand the problems and difficulties in using information technology in these libraries. Design/methodology/approach - The survey has covered 17 libraries belonging to Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman Medical University and Islamic Azad University. Two kinds of questionnaires were distributed to libraries - one for librarians and the other for library staff. The findings of the survey have been analyzed using SPSS software. Findings - Results show that the level of application of information technology in Kerman academic libraries is acceptable but they should improve their status to match with ever increasing demand for better librarian services at universities; the most important problem and serious difficulty is the lack of educated librarians, which needs a suitable investment and planning; and, although about 70 percent of librarians in Kerman academic libraries have participated in related training courses, the most serious difficulty in using information technology is still the lack of educated librarians. Practical implications - Based on the research findings, several suggestions for improvements can be made, for example: recruitment of multi-skilled librarians familiar with information technologies related to the mechanism of work in academic libraries; planning and designing ongoing courses of information technology and related skills; promotion and introduction of various academic library services through compiling and publishing manuals and guides; equipping academic libraries with more information technology facilities; having a special budget for development of information technology infrastructure; overcoming telecommunication barriers and shortcomings to better use of information technology; and mechanization of all academic library departments to provide information services more optimally and speedily. Originality/value - The research studies the rate of using information technologies in Iran as a developing country. Hopefully, uncovering and understanding some unknowns based on such investigations can help to address the digital divide within universities and countries governing them.