Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Faculty of Geography and Environmental Planning, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan
Abstract
Introduction
Urban planners are faced with a big question of whether libraries, like some obsolete urban uses such as public baths, caravanserais, water reservoirs, and the like, are facing the process of decreasing performance or destroying their place. The rapid expansion of communication technology, the increase of digital tools, and the access of individuals and institutions have caused the production and dissemination of scientific and cultural products in recent decades, especially in the first decade or two of the 21st century. This has caused an amazing transformation. Because the preparation and publication of paper scientific and cultural products are done by individuals and institutions themselves and in a digital way, instead of publishing institutions. In the meantime, the request of citizens for quick, low-cost, timely, and complete access to information has resulted in an emerging phenomenon called "research without visiting the library" based on communication and information technology, the global Internet, social networks, and virtual space.
Methodology
This applied research was conducted with a descriptive-analytical method and a sample size of 480 people (doctoral, master's, and bachelor's students) with a researcher-made questionnaire and two-stage random sampling in Zahedan city (University of Sistan and Baluchistan, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences and Islamic Azad University of Zahedan). The validity of the data collection tool has been confirmed by university professors and reliability is based on Cronbach's index (0.752). The sampling method was a simple random method. Analysis models include U-Mann-Whitney and Kendall's tau-c non-parametric statistical inference model, Cramer's V, and Kruskal Wallis statistical inference model, Sign. test and Chi-Square and Crosstab, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk non-parametric statistical inference model.
Results and discussion
The findings showed that the traditional position of libraries as a cultural urban use with a certain population threshold and a certain functional sphere of influence is facing a significant decrease. 58% of students said they never went to the library or they rarely go. 44% of students consider the position and role of libraries to be too much or too much to decrease. In addition, there is an inverse and significant relationship between students' access to scientific databases such as Scopus, SID, and Science Direct and their belief that the position of the library is decreasing. The relationship between visiting the library and having a computer, printer, modem, and smartphone was analyzed. The results showed; that the degree of ownership or access to a desktop-laptop computer, printer, modem, or smart mobile, has an inverse relationship with the perception of the location of the library. 39% of students did not have any equipment; on the other hand, 75% of students who had complete equipment consider the position of the library as a decrease. In the supplementary analysis, it was determined that the amount of students' use of the Internet for academic research is directly related to the decrease in the library's position (with a significance level of 0.002 in Cramer's V statistical inference model), students who have used the Internet very little, 35% and students who have used the Internet a lot, 69% consider the position of the library to be low. In addition, contrary to the expectation that it was thought that the higher the level of education of the students and towards postgraduate education; The rate of their visits to the library increases; not confirmed The results of the first hypothesis test with non-parametric statistical inference "sign test" (suitable for non-normal data; and single group) with an error level of 0.033 showed that the library position is decreasing. The results of the second hypothesis test regarding the relationship between the number of students visiting the library and their level of education were rejected with Kendall's tau-c non-parametric statistical inference model with a significance level of 0.16. The results of the third hypothesis test. It indicates a significant relationship between the number of students visiting the library and the characteristics of their field and faculty. Kruskal-Wallis's non-parametric statistical inference model was used to test the hypothesis.
Conclusion
Based on the principles of urban planning, the library is a place-oriented urban use (specifically at the neighborhood, district, and city levels) and time-oriented (specific working hours and closing hours); therefore, the location of the library has three characteristics. First, it has a specific population threshold. Second, it has a certain radius of action and sphere of influence. The third one is open and serviced only in certain time frames and hours. But the cyber revolution has caused the library to be fixed and determined without being dependent on place and time and the radius of its function; To perform its functions with the coverage of unlimited access, in the field of influence and the radius of unlimited access, in the immediate time frame, 24 hours and all 365 days of the year. The findings of survey research in three major universities (University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, and Islamic Azad University of Zahedan) showed: that the better the students had the equipment to access cyberspace and typing and publishing, the other hand, students without these facilities considered the position of the library to be decreasing and declining. The degree of students' access to Elsevier and ScienceDirect scientific databases is inversely related to their assessment of the library's position. The results showed that the function and position of the library is permanent and rooted. However, the form of providing services is significantly and rapidly abandoned from the triple determinism of "location-oriented, compliance with the population threshold within a certain physical influence radius, time-oriented" and is intensified with the expansion of artificial intelligence. These findings make both urban planners and trustees of (university) libraries aware of the rapid process of transformations. It is suggested that research be done in the field of public libraries and for all citizens to achieve more results and the possibility of generalizing the findings.
Keywords
- Library performance
- location-based usage
- university library
- Zahedan
- artificial intelligence and the Internet
Main Subjects
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