Content area
Purpose
This paper aims to draw a roadmap for the presence of Iranian academic libraries in the cloud infrastructure.
Design/methodology/approach
This research attends an applied-development one that is a part of developmental research due to its conceptual expansion, foresight and roadmap for the presence of cloud-based academic libraries and finally, becoming cloud libraries. Because of providing a roadmap template, the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library is applied research. Because of providing a roadmap template, academic digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming a cloud library is one of the applied research areas. The statistical population of this research includes all Iranian digital academic libraries. There were 64 digital libraries out of which 59 libraries participated in completing the questionnaire.
Findings
Preliminary results from used Delphi method’s first round which was considered by 59 experts were identified typically and descriptive after appropriate component classification and editing. After identifying these factors, each of the roadmap levels in the third stage and the degree of relevance approved by the experts were reviewed and the most critical and relevant factors were identified as key components of the roadmap for the presence of cloud-based academic libraries and becoming cloud libraries. At this stage, they were selected as 24 factors, including seven factors for the first layer, eight factors for the second layer and nine factors for the third layer.
Originality/value
By introducing a roadmap for the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud context, they will promote more and better interaction between academic libraries to offer services to users anytime and anywhere.
1. Introduction
Nowadays, massive costs of academic libraries spent on providing information resources and services. Predominantly, although university officials should not refrain from any material or spiritual investment, such as their moral support of library development plans, in enthusiastically promoting the services of academic libraries, this unfortunate investment must have a tangible and objective reflection. This is when electronic tools access to end-user information are available and academic libraries need to be able to prove their resources and services have made a significant contribution to patrons’ education and research (Abbas et al., 2018).
On the other hand, with the advent of modern technologies in all walks of life, especially social areas, the libraries and information centers function with the advent of technologies such as wireless networks, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Access to scientific information sources has changed and requires the use of electronic and digital forms alongside their traditional form. In the meantime, modern libraries and information centers need to instantly update their needed services as these innovative technologies typically arrive. In addition to traditional services, these centers have to offer internet, electronic and digital services. Using digital resources, university libraries have been able to encounter the users’ information needs in addition to updating their facilities with the technology world, but these centers can benefit from cloud computing could strive to provide better, more up-to-date services and beyond the constraints of the past to meet the more demanding information needs alongside traditional low-cost services. These libraries need to be instantly turned into a cloud and digitized libraries or transformed into digital libraries and used as a shared use facility and approach (Abbas et al., 2018; Abbasi and Zoya, 2013).
With the rapid development of cloud computing, cloud storage and other related technologies, digital libraries have increasingly enabled users to remotely access a wide range of distributed information resources regardless of physical storage conditions (Atuase, 2019); e-learning using cloud computing services also enhances students’ learning opportunities through appropriate web technology by accessing a variety of digital information resources anytime and anywhere (Thamaraiselvi, 2016). Apart from the use of cloud computing in academic libraries, this technology has been used to inform researchers, cloud computing enthusiasts, academics and librarians of academic digital libraries about the state of study and research in these fields and also will be the impact on teaching methods and educational processes and the benefits of cloud computing on the organization (Baldassarre et al., 2018).
Cloud computing has emerged as a technology to realize the utility model of computing while using the internet for accessing applications (Chandrasekaran, 2014). Cloud computing literature is not particularly rich in librarianship and information science as follows: in general, 2010 and especially 2011 can be regarded as the time for information technology adopters. Libraries’ telecommunications services and the impact they adopt from this model are exemplary of these studies (Che, 2015; Scale, 2010).
Many research studies indicate that there are already many libraries in the world, including cloud computing in countries such as the USA (Makori, 2016), China (Xu and Du, 2018), (Zhou and Liu, 2013), India (Yuvaraj, 2013), Africa (Aviamu et al., 2019; Avram, 2014) and Nigeria (Wada, 2018) have been used. Cloud computing in the library can be used in the following areas that have changed their services by relying on the cloud and the network at any time and place. Cloud computing in the library can be used in the following areas (Kaushik and Kumar, 2016):
Creating a digital/repository library;
Searching for library data;
Web hosting;
Scientific content search;
File storage; and
Library automation.
Cloud computing reduces the cost of adopting technology in that area and expands the tools’ potentialities and capabilities (Abbas et al., 2018; Atuase, 2019; Esmaeili et al., 2019; Parashar et al., 2014).
The need to prevent costs, prevent duplication of work, maximize the skills and abilities of the workforce in this sector, maintain and improve the health of employees and students, equip them with new technologies and electronics and improve access to Libraries of other universities show the use of cloud computing technology in Iranian university digital libraries (Farrukh, 2014). Given the importance of cloud computing in libraries, it is possible to better understanding this technology utility in academic libraries and in fact by adopting this technology to academic libraries could transform the library into academic libraries through providing cloud services alongside previous services; and perhaps its function’s change would provide a suitable context for the establishment of a national cloud library, the country’s overall utilization of scientific information resources and finally, cloud services (Sepehr et al., 2016).
2. Research design
2.1 Aims and objectives
This research introducing a roadmap for the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud context and aims to reveal the research gap in this field while resolving the following questions:
What is the optimal use of the cloud in Iranian digital academic libraries?
How will be the future of Iranian digital academic libraries in the cloud?
How will Iranian digital academic libraries be able to use the cloud platform?
2.2 Methodology
Given the nature of the research, namely, the delineation and presentation of a roadmap for the presence of Iranian digital academic libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library, the data and research information are collected, prepared and presented as follows:
As the research population included all Iranian academic libraries under the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and, as direct access to all of them endure exact time consuming. Due to the considerable number of Iranian university libraries; large university libraries affiliated with the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, including digital university libraries, were identified and libraries that met the inclusion criteria in the sample group were identified and surveyed. In fact, the manager or a qualified person in each library took part in this study and answered the research questionnaire. Considering most of the central libraries of Iranian universities have electronic resources, digital or digital libraries, the statistical sample of the research includes these libraries and satellite libraries of these universities with 64 university libraries. Of these, 59 digital librarians participated and cooperated in completing the questionnaire. Subsequent follow-up by telephone, e-mail and in-person was not effective and the next five digital libraries did not respond to the questionnaire and were removed from the list of the present study population. So thatthe sampling method is definite and judgmental and is a non-probability statistical method. The reason for using this method was to consult with three experts in the field of futurism; they stated that according to the information in the designed questionnaire, it is better to use this method (Delphi) to predict the future presence of university digital libraries in the cloud and become a cloud library. As follows, 59 people (experts of the central libraries of the research community) were definitively selected as experts and the present study was conducted based on their judgments and professions.
The inclusion criteria of the subjects in this study are as follows:
Active university libraries located in Iran;
Iranian university libraries maintain a key infrastructure for sharing scientific information resources;
Iranian university libraries have library software and so-called electronic or digital departments or resources; and
Iranian university libraries want to cooperate to become cloud library.
Costly, the researcher made a questionnaire and then collected information on Iranian academic libraries. In this study, the data collection tool was a questionnaire made by the researcher (the first part of the study) which was prepared using previous research texts such as (Esmaeili et al., 2019; Sepehr et al., 2016) and the website of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.
In this questionnaire, 130 questions were proposed, which according to previous research and the use of valuable opinions of five professors and specialists in information science and science and after 10 edits, finally in figure 105 closed question and an open question. The questionnaire was designed according to the Likert spectral scale (five-point scale). Placing an open-ended question at the end of the questionnaire endure such that such a question allowed the respondent to add, if necessary, items other than those stated in the questionnaire or to indicate items that Increase the accuracy of research analyzes. This questionnaire was organized in nine sections.
The first part is responsible for personal information such as gender, education and age. The second part is about descriptive information such as the name of the university, the name of the library and the name of the library software. The third part is related to manpower education such as degree, field and average history of cooperation and was determined by question one. The fourth section is related to manpower skills, divided into six sub-sections, including educational, research, management, information, mental and cognitive skills and computer manpower literacy and includes 58 closed questions, from questions 2 to 59, is included. The fifth section was about the workforce perspective and included 22 questions ranging from 60 to 82. The sixth section is about infrastructure and contains 10 (1 to 10) questions. The seventh section is about content and contains 5 (1 to 5) questions. The eighth section is about software and contains 8 (1 to 8) questions and the ninth (final) part in addition contains a question is related to the open-ended question.
Formal (content) validity has been used to determine the validity or validity of the measurement tool. To assess face validity, in addition to consulting and assisting experts (based on the theoretical competence of experts) in the questionnaire development stage, after compiling the questionnaire, it was dispatched to five experts in the field of information science and encyclopedia to validate it, examined. After receiving the opinions of these experts, their valuable opinions were considered and approved in the questionnaire. In this study, Cronbach’s alpha tool was used to measure the reliability of the questionnaire. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.973, which indicates the appropriate reliability and reliability of the questions.
In the second part of the research, the futurism method was used; therefore, according to the type and purpose of the research, for this purpose, first the existing position of all 59 university digital libraries in terms of the factors studied in the researcher questionnaire, in the expression of educational, research, management, information, mental and cognitive skills, computer literacy, view the workforce, infrastructure, content and software and then write down the conditions, events and trends that are likely to arise in the future; Binomial test (binomial) was used to analyze the questionnaire. Data collection tools were library, documentary, researcher-made questionnaires and Delphi technique was used to analyze the data.
Electronic and digital resources were completed and collected through a researcher-made questionnaire (sent by email) to the managers, officials and experts of Iran’s academic libraries.
Using the Delphi method, it foresaw and outlined the roadmap for the presence of Iranian digital academic libraries in the cloud. After identifying the factors, each of the roadmap levels in the third stage of expert approval was reviewed and the most critical and relevant factors were identified as key components of the roadmap for the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library.
In this study, face validity (content validity) was used to determine the validity or reliability of the measuring instrument. To assess face validity, in addition to consulting with experts (based on the experts’ theoretical competence) at the questionnaire formulating stage, after formulating the questionnaire, it was directed to five experts in the library and information science (LIS) and its validity should be examined. The study accurate repetition using specific methods can evaluate the project reliability (Powell, 1992).
In this research, there is a discussion of drawing and presenting a roadmap and foresight of the presence of digital university libraries in Iran in the cloud and become a cloud library, so the data and information related to the research in the following two parts are collected, prepared, set and submitted:
Part 1
In this section, a roadmap was prepared for the presence of university digital libraries in the cloud and become a cloud library; for this purpose and considering that the present research population included all university libraries in Iran under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and access to all of them directly was very time consuming and costly, so the researcher designed a questionnaire and information about the library Iranian academic institutions with electronic and digital resources were collected through the data collection tool of a research questionnaire completed by the administrators, officials and experts of the Iranian university libraries under study (sent to them via e-mail).
Part 2
In this section, because it was a futuristic discussion, using one of the futuristic methods (Delphi technique) and the presence of Iranian university digital libraries in the cloud was attempted. In Delphi, the study can catch worthy and reliable data. In this regard, this method was selected to be applied in designing the roadmap. Delphi panel method was factually run in three rounds. As the preliminary results of the first round of the Delphi method in this study, which was considered by 59 experts, were identified in a descriptive and general manner after proper classification and editing of the components. The list was additionally provided to the experts in the second round to introduce the relevant factors. The number of final agents introduced was 49 in the second round of the Delphi panel; after identifying the factors, in each of the roadmap levels, in the third stage, the level of communication approved by the experts is examined and the most important and related factors are introduced as the main components of the roadmap: the presence of university digital libraries in the cloud was presented.
A leading part of social science research is the definition of considerate behavior, namely, the use of measurement tools to observe considerate behavior (Drost, 2011). In this study, to evaluate the roadmap validity through content validation, through consultation and guidance from respected tutors, consultants and three other experts in LIS and sociology who are, in addition, specialists in statistical analysis and foresight and after receiving their valuable.
3. Literature review
3.1 Overview of literature and prevalence of the dimensions in the literature
To identify the research studies using cloud computing technology and its application in libraries like academic ones, some actions to search in Iranian and foreign scientific databases have been done.
The following scientific information databases were searched:
Emerald database;
Science direct database;
Wiley database;
Springer; and
Google scholar.
With the approach to map the presence of Iranian digital academic libraries in the cloud and to become a cloud library in this study and based on what has been stated earlier, research reports in the form of a research paper, theses (Dissertations), technical reports, project reports and the like were identified and studied using the method outlined. The review of the literature showed that research studies in these fields can be categorized into the following seven axes:
Security, problems and challenges of cloud computing;
Factors affecting cloud computing adoption;
Cloud computing impact on library management and services;
Cloud computing in university libraries;
Cloud computing in digital libraries;
Cloud library; and
Libraries roadmap.
Among the axes stated, the three bottom axes keep the most casual relationship with cloud computing in academic digital libraries. Accordingly, further identified studies were analyzed. Comments and, their validation was confirmed.
3.2 Cloud computing security, problems and challenges
Identifying cloud computing problems in libraries, security, trust and cloud computing challenges (Nooshinfard and Ghorbani, 2014); Adopting Innovation in different organizations, good timing for cloud computing, employees’ desire to adopt this technology in academic libraries (Yuvaraj, 2015b, 2015c). Cloud computing equally involves the use of large servers for data access, storage, skill-building and other services, as well as high security risks when infrastructure, applications, data and storage hosted by cloud providers are some of the issues that can be addressed in this context (Yuvaraj, 2015c, 2015d, 2016a).
As can be seen in Table 1, the research studies on cloud computing security, problems and challenges suggest that although researchers have focused on this area, it still requires to do more research studies (Yuvaraj, 2016b, 2016c, 2016d). Hence, these challenges are existing and the new face of problems and challenges may be appeared especially after extensive use of this technology. So, there is a need to new research studies to not only describe the new challenges but also provide new solutions. In this regard, the current study is a sample that tried to cover these issues and provide a roadmap to step in this domain.
3.3 Factors affecting cloud computing acceptance
As the use of cloud computing technology is a kind of change acceptance in the libraries and information centers’ function, this acceptance of change is usually confronted by some of the organization’s human resources; if one’s career represents the opposite, it will double.
Using cloud computing in corporations such as Microsoft (Windows Azure) using a spatial information system based on cloud computing technology (Naghdi Sedeh, 2013), examining cloud computing technology acceptance pattern, deployment, presenting the ideal way of using and implementing it, i.e. following the model (Cloud computing: Evaluating cloud computing for acceptance and use) (Abidi et al., 2012; Avram, 2014; Azimi, 2016; Bowers and Polak, 2014; Chandrasekaran, 2014).
All this to provide a roadmap for efficient cloud implementation (Njeh, 2014), significant differences in the gender and age of librarians in terms of cloud computing acceptance, despite significant differences in the type of university and level of education (Farmanlouleilab, 2016), ease of use, usefulness, availability and strong drivers for cloud computing technology acceptance in libraries, as well as the correlation between attitude and acceptance of cloud computing services.
Technologically, the key factors affecting cloud computing (Compatibility, Availability, Security and Privacy, Proper Bandwidth, Copyright, Risk of Cloud Computing) are Individual Dimension (Trust, Knowledge, Employee Learning Ability and Acceptance Technology), Organizational Dimension (Cost Reduction in Organization, Relative Benefits, Senior Manager Support, Necessity and Need) and Environmental Dimension (Legal Issues, Competitors Performance, Cloud Computing, Government Policies) (Estiri, 2018). In sum, these are some of the essential points that have been addressed in this context.
Other benefits of operating libraries’ cloud computing stay the interconnection of resources and information in one space, flexibility, providing controllable and measurable services, on-demand supply, broadband access (Farrukh, 2014), reducing risk, increasing security, transforming education and expanding cooperation (Bouyer and Arasteh, 2014). Given the importance of cloud computing in libraries, it is possible to better understanding this technology utility in academic libraries and in fact by adopting this technology to academic libraries could transform the library into academic libraries through providing cloud services along with earlier services (Che, 2015; Galvin and Sun, 2012; Han, 2013); and perhaps its function’s change would define a suitable context for the establishment of a national cloud library, the country’s overall use of scientific information resources and finally, cloud services (Willyard and McClees, 1987; Xiao-yan, 2010; Xiaoping, 2010).
3.4 The impact of cloud computing on library management and services
Introducing a system for programmers, systems analysts, managers and librarians to give cloud-based solutions for the library (Ramesh and Yadagiri, 2012) and moving into the modern information environment where cloud computing is inevitable (Haruna Abdu et al., 2017; Makori, 2016; Mavodza, 2013). As such, it is a way to move from hardware and software needs to data storage and organization to information access concerns. Software as a service (library catalogs, WorldCat, Google docs) and aggregated thematic gateways (SUMMON, etc.) and the web platform are used as a service that is similar to using Google’s application engine or, it could be used as an infrastructure as a service (D-Space, Fedora, etc.) (Mavodza, 2013), etc.
Research findings showed that this technology has had a positive impact on the management and services of university libraries, which has resulted in lower costs, increased productivity and communication. All of these tried to introduce the ability of cloud computing infrastructure for diverse use. There is a small amount of research studies that cover the library domain in being available in the cloud environment. So, it is obvious, there is an essential need to do some research studies that pay more attention to the library requests and needs in using cloud computing infrastructures.
3.5 Cloud computing in university libraries
Cloud computing services provide attractive opportunities for organizations and service providers which leads to innovation and user satisfaction due to the very low cost and use of open-source software and other applications are for libraries. Library professionals have used cloud computing tools in their day-to-day operations and have advocated using cloud computing to improve library services because of different service security layers.
As can be seen in Table 4, research on cloud computing in academic libraries has highlighted the strengths and services of this technology, albeit, given the newness of this process in providing information and scientific services, the research of university libraries has given users more satisfaction. Despite such research studies, there is more need to explore library experiences in using cloud computing tools and infrastructures. In fact, many fields, such as administrative issues and legal issues, should be taking part in new studies.
3.6 Application of cloud computing in digital libraries
Cloud computing is extensively evolving in future computing networks and is widely used in a variety of commercial areas that have led to a new approach to share and productivity (Yuvaraj, 2016b). Describing the state of service provision in academic libraries, providing models for improving cloud-based services, as well as investigating security issues related to data retention, mobility and accessibility (Kumar et al., 2012) were the issues studied in this axis.
As can be seen in Table 5, little research has been done into the impact of cloud computing on digital libraries and there is a great need for further research studies in this area. Given that many academic libraries are still not digitally equipped or have been unable to source and convert digital resources, these libraries cannot easily have access to cloud computing technology (Phaal et al., 2004; Scale, 2010; Shahzad, 2014).
3.7 Cloud library
The discovery of the evolution of cloud computing and its application to the library technology sectors seems to determine the difference between cloud libraries and traditional libraries and the advantages and challenges of leading and future libraries and ultimately what types of projects are good for cloud use (Shokraneh et al., 2012; Willyard and McClees, 1987; Zhou and Liu, 2013). Among the differences between traditional and cloud libraries are flexibility, cost savings and scalability, which is the best reason for moving the project to the cloud. The challenges and situations of cloud Libraries as a new type of libraries in which a group of highly skilled professionals (Yuvaraj, 2015a, 2015b, 2015c, 2015d) is one of the focus areas.
As can be seen in Table 6, well-known and applied research studies in cloud libraries are scarce and this may be due to this new type of library that is quite different from traditional libraries. As such, this type of library is limited in space, location and even human resources and as a result, recognizing such libraries requires a lot of research.
3.8 Libraries’ roadmap
A study entitled “A Search for a Desirable Future of Information Technology Research in the Field of Information Science and Knowledge” has been conducted, with results such as the use of environmental scanning approaches and methods and the analysis of questions along with the use of Delphi methods. In the field of information science and knowledge. The most important achievement of this research is to make good use of the key technologies, as well as the information technology mapping or path map, which is the most effective method used in the process of technology acquisition in libraries and the field of information science and science.
As can be seen in Table 7, the future of information technology research has been useful in the future of information science, but, as there is only one research conducted in this area, further research studies should be carried out by those who are interested in this field.
4. Findings
The research findings are some of the contributing factors that help map out academic digital libraries’ presence in the modern context of instantly becoming a cloud library as follows:
4.1 Proposed factors in research layers 4–2. Identifying the relationship between proposed factors as drivers and proponents of digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming cloud libraries Table 8. The result of the binomial statistical test with a 95% confidence level also confirms this. Given the stimuli, motivators and propulsion confirmed above as the agents of the roadmap mission layer, it is necessary to prioritize the factors of this layer using the Matrix of Impacts and to map these key factors into the map diagram or chart. Therefore, according to the dimensions of importance and influence and the probability of existence and occurrence of each factor, its place in the matrix of effects will be determined.
4.1.2 Proposed factors in policies, strategies and planning layer. The proposed factors in policies, strategies and planning layers are presented in Table 9 by the experts.
According to Table 9, 83% of the experts with high and medium opinion the proposed as follows: the factor “familiarizing librarians with strategic planning,” 71.2% of them having high and medium opinion, the proposed factor i.e. “familiarizing librarians with Collaborative Collection,” 67.8% of them with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “Librarians familiar with resource sharing consortiums,” 66.1% of them with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “Librarian familiarity with content exchange and integration protocols,” 67.8% of them produce a high and a very high opinion, the proposed factor, Liberians’ familiarity with digital production techniques, files and digital formats such as DOC and PDF, 57.6% with a high and a very high opinion, the proposed factor as follows: “Librarians’ knowledge of ICDL skills” 57.6% of them having high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “Cloud librarians’ familiarity (Cloud),” 81.3% of them having high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “librarians’ familiarity with databases” 83.1% of them having a high and a very high opinion, the proposed factor that is “using multiple sources using cloud computing,” 78% of them having a high and a very high opinion, the proposed factor that is “the possibility of using personal technologies using cloud computing,” 66.1% of them having a high and a very high opinion, the proposed factor that is “reducing libraries’ hardware and software costs by using cloud computing,” 69.5% of them with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “reducing inter-library collaboration processes using cloud computing” 74.6% of them with high and a very high opinion, the proposed factor “Knowledge with Security Issues in the Network Environment (Information Security Assistance),” the proposed factor “Librarians’ Skills in Providing Digital Services to Users,” 81.4% with high and medium opinion and the proposed factor, “Digital and online resource management practices,” 79.6% with a high and a very high opinion in the set of responsive layers that have introduced planning’s and identified it as one of the factors contributing to the policy layer and shaping the roadmap for the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library. The result of the binomial statistical test (95% confidence level) confirms this point.
4.1.3 The proposed factors in resources, facilities and knowledge layers. The Proposed factors in resources, facilities and knowledge layers are presented in Table 10 by the experts.
According to Table 10, 83% of the experts with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “librarians' ability to teach digital information use,” 84.7% with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor “Ability of librarians to train information literacy skills” 86.5% with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “librarians’ ability to organize digital information,” 55.9% with moderate and low opinion, the proposed factor i.e. “librarians’ ability to work with cloud software (such as ICLOUD, ITUNES and IOS),” 71.2% of them having high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “librarians’ ability to collect digital resources,” 96.6% of them having high and very high opinion, the proposed factor i.e. “governing an expert to manage digital resources,” 79.7% of them having high and medium opinion, the proposed factor i.e. “Digital storage medias in the library,” 67.8% with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor i.e. “Infrastructure needed to use the national information network in the library,” 78% with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor i.e. “the needed infrastructure for Digital Library,” 81.4% considering medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “the storage on Digital Library Server,” 83.2% of them with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor that is “Matching digital library content to meet the information needs of digital users,” 79.7% of them with high and medium opinion, the proposed factor i.e. “Libraries’ Digital Content Quality” 64.4% of them with a high and medium opinion, the proposed factor i.e. “the need for all information sources to be provided by any member library,” with 81.3% of them having a high and very high opinion, they have identified it as one of the most effective factors in the set of resources and facilities.
5. The proposed roadmap
Considering the importance of the research problem, as well as reviewing the literature review and the research background, the necessity of formulating and explaining a roadmap for the presence of digital libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library seemed to obtain the answer to this research need and this study aimed at doing it. The need to put this concept on the agenda for the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library indicates the present study seeks to predict the future of digital libraries in the cloud and transformation context. What is it alike to become a cloud librarian? It is critically important to create the final model of the roadmap, formulation and skillful layers’ combination, as well as the linkage between the layers, so it will usually use an expert or participatory approach, which is considered expert opinion and method in this research. There is, in addition, the importance of brilliant power at this level and the domino leverage effect that will manage ultimate developments. In policy-making, the use of personal technologies is moreover of paramount importance, with leverage and domino effect (Figure 1).
6. Discussion and conclusion
The present study was structured to map the presence of Iranian digital academic libraries in the cloud. A roadmap for research in digital libraries is some of the issues that are in line with the present research. In this regard, no valid and practical results were obtained in the present study, and according to the information obtained from the researcher-made questionnaires completed by the administrators and experts of the academic digital libraries and the findings from the research and analysis of those findings, the foresight and the roadmap (Figure 1) was made by using 24 factors at three levels for the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud and to become a cloud library, which is, in fact, a desirable future for academic digital libraries. The functionality of academic digital libraries was accomplished with the help of cloud computing technology, the above results are intended to confirm the results of similar studies (Baldassarre et al., 2018; Esmaeili et al., 2019; Galvin and Sun, 2012; Kaushik and Kumar, 2016; Kumar et al., 2012; Njeh, 2014; Phaal et al., 2004; Wada, 2018).
Also, given the response of a number of academic centers to research questions about the importance and value of using cloud computing technology in academic digital libraries and provided the necessary infrastructure, collaboration of research community libraries and the transformation of the functions of articulated libraries and the prevalence of such phenomena i.e. cloud computing and cloud libraries in academic libraries have all shown the importance of the subject of the present research and as before stated, achieving such a roadmap and a desirable future for the present research attend a comprehensive attempt of all universities, research communities and at the top of them, the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, these results are also to confirm the results of similar studies (Abidi et al., 2012; Baldassarre et al., 2018; Drost, 2011; Esmaeili et al., 2019; Yuvaraj, 2013, 2015c, 2016d).
Roadmap for academic digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming a cloud library
Research on security, problems and challenges of cloud computing
| The main axes | The studied problem | The used textures | Findings | Researchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security, problems and challenges of cloud computing | Trust in the acceptance of cloud computing | M.A. Dissertations | -Detecting activities background with the help of trust measurement systems |
Nouri (2011) |
| Problems and challenges of cloud computing implementation | Banaras Hindu University Library | -The right time to run cloud computing in university libraries |
Yuvaraj (2015c) | |
| Threats, risks and security solutions of cloud computing | Without any textures | -When infrastructure, applications, data and storage are hosted by cloud providers, there will be many security risks associated with any types of services provided | Yuvaraj (2015d) |
Research studies on factors affecting cloud computing acceptance
| The main axes | The studied problem | The used textures | Findings | Researchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factors affecting cloud computing acceptance | Web-based location system based on cloud computing technology | Microsoft Corporation | -Implementing a spatial information system based on cloud computing technology |
Naghdi Sedeh (2013) |
| Determinants of cloud computing acceptance applications | University Libraries | -To date, no well-known research has examined the factors that influence librarians’ decision to use cloud computing |
Yuvaraj (2014) | |
| Assessing computing for acceptance and use | Thesis | -Slow acceptance and subsequent use of cloud computing |
Njeh (2014) | |
| Analysis of factors affecting cloud computing acceptance | Tabriz University and Medical Sciences University Librarian | -Librarians do not differ significantly in gender and age in terms of acceptance of cloud computing |
Farmanlouleilab (2016b) | |
| Information science specialists viewpoints | Tehran University of Medical Sciences Librarians | -Lack of budget and weakness in the provision of electronic services |
Sepehr et al. (2016) | |
| The determinants of cloud computing acceptance in developing countries | Academic Libraries | -Ease of use, usefulness and availability are the reasons for cloud computing technology acceptance |
Yuvaraj (2015c) | |
| Factors affecting the acceptance and targeted use of cloud computing | Indian Medical Universities Libraries | 70 participants agreed on 70% of the identified factors affecting the direct impact of the level of acceptance and targeted use of cloud computing technology in Indian Medical Universities Libraries | Yuvaraj (2015d) | |
| Identifying key factors affecting cloud computing deployment | University Libraries | -Identifying key factors affecting cloud computing deployment: *technological, *organizational and *environmental dimension |
Estiri (2018) |
Research studies on the impact of cloud computing on library management and services
| The main axes | The studied problem | The used textures | Findings | Researchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The impact of cloud computing on library management and services | Cloud computing and solving libraries’ problems | Without any textures | Introducing a system for programmers, systems analysts, managers, librarians to provide cloud-based solutions for libraries | Ramesh and Yadagiri (2012) |
| The impact of cloud computing on the future of university libraries performance and services | University Libraries | -Using the cloud to gather user-required resources |
Mavodza (2013) | |
| Infrastructure services as a cloud computing service for libraries | Without any textures | -Cloud storage integration using SS3 and GCS |
Han (2013) | |
| Application of cloud computing in libraries | Without any textures | -The effectiveness of cloud computing in the library |
Zhou and Liu (2013) | |
| Managing and sharing cloud-based knowledge in libraries | University Libraries’ websites | Over 42% of the world’s top libraries use cloud-based systems | Abbasi and Zoya (2013) | |
| Modern knowledge management with the help of cloud computing technology | Iranian Universities’ Libraries and information centers | -Introducing two GAAS and ITAAS models in the cloud computing environment |
Tabatabaei et al. (2014) | |
| Cloud computing services in libraries | Without any resources | -Deploying cloud-based library information systems and services |
Motaya and Shekar (2014) | |
| Knowledge distribution ease of access, security and flexibility | National Library of Iran | -The use of cloud computing in the provision of National Library Services |
Ghorbani and Nooshin Fard (2014) | |
| Office automation with a cloud-based integrated library management solution (ILMS) | Banaras Hindu University Library | -Librarika has all the features of the resources available to ILMS |
Yuvaraj (2015d) |
Cloud computing research in university libraries
| The main axes | The studied problem | The used textures | Findings | Researchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud computing in university libraries | Cloud computing services | Kenya University Library | -Understanding the key features, benefits and challenges of cloud computing |
Makori (2016) |
| Inference of cloud computing in developing countries | University Libraries | -Library professionals use cloud computing tools in their daily tasks |
Yuvaraj (2016d) | |
| Cloud computing, a new trend in communication technologies | University Libraries | -Cloud computing as a new trend in communication technologies |
Haruna Abdu et al. (2017) |
Research on the use of cloud computing in digital libraries
| The main axes | The studied problem | The used textures | Findings | Researchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application of cloud computing in digital libraries | Application of cloud computing in digital libraries | University Libraries | -The emergence of cloud computing for the world’s use of stored computing resources and software from anywhere |
Yazdani (2011) |
| Inference of cloud computing in developing countries | University Libraries | -Describing the status of service provision in academic libraries |
Kumar et al. (2012) |
Cloud library research
| The main axes | The studied problem | The used textures | Findings | Researchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud libraries | -Avoid the death zone: selecting and running a cloud library project |
Without any textures | -Some projects are more suitable for cloud computing than others |
Galvin and Sun (2012) |
| Cloud libraries | Without any textures | -Cloud libraries are a new type of library where a group of highly qualified and skilled professionals works |
Yuvaraj (2015a) |
Libraries’ roadmap research
| The main axes | The studied problem | The used textures | Findings | Researchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libraries’ roadmap | -A look at the desirable future |
Without any textures | -Using environmental scanning approaches and methods and analyzing questions along with applying Delphi methods in the field of information science and knowledge |
Azimi et al. (2016) |
Identifying the relationship between proposed factors as drivers and proponents of digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming cloud libraries
| Policies | Components | Very low | Low | Medium | High | Very high | Sum | Sig | Binomial |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | |||||
| Identifying the relationship between proposed factors as drivers and proponents of digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming cloud libraries | Managers’ ability to take advantage of service and content reporting in the digital environment | 1 | 1.7 | 4 | 6.8 | 24 | 40.7 | 23 | 39 | 7 | 11.9 | 59 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| Implementing CRM in the library | 2 | 3.4 | 10 | 16.9 | 20 | 33.9 | 26 | 44.1 | 1 | 1.7 | ||||
| Librarian flexibility | – | – | 3 | 5.1 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 59.3 | 8 | 13.6 | ||||
| Librarians’ analytical and critical thinking power | – | – | 2 | 3.4 | 23 | 39 | 27 | 45.8 | 7 | 11.9 | ||||
| Librarians’ initiative | – | – | 5 | 8.5 | 26 | 44.1 | 23 | 39 | 5 | 8.5 | ||||
| Having a great teamwork spirit among librarians | 2 | 3.4 | 6 | 10.2 | 20 | 33.9 | 22 | 37.3 | 9 | 15.3 | ||||
| Reducing costs using cloud computing | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 11 | 18.6 | 22 | 37.3 | 25 | 42.4 | ||||
| A sense of responsibility to protect information held by all members and shared libraries | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 9 | 15.3 | 25 | 42.4 | 24 | 40.7 | ||||
| Quick and easy access to information for libraries as long as privacy and information security are maintained | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 11 | 18.6 | 33 | 55.9 | 14 | 23.7 | ||||
| Observing the intellectual property rights of digital information by using cloud computing in libraries | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 7 | 11.9 | 28 | 47.5 | 23 | 39 | ||||
| Users observing security issues | – | – | 2 | 3.4 | 15 | 25.4 | 31 | 52.5 | 11 | 18.6 | ||||
| Introducing users to network security issues to help share information security | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 14 | 23.7 | 28 | 47.5 | 16 | 27.1 | ||||
| Users’ Familiarity with network security issues to help share information security | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 14 | 23.7 | 28 | 47.5 | 16 | 27.1 | ||||
| Feeling a sense of responsibility to protect information held by all members and shared libraries | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 9 | 15.3 | 25 | 42.4 | 24 | 40.7 | ||||
| Users accessing information anywhere using cloud computing | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 9 | 15.3 | 28 | 47.5 | 21 | 35.6 | ||||
| Users accessing information at any time using cloud computing | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 7 | 11.9 | 30 | 50.8 | 21 | 35.6 | ||||
Identifying the proposed factors’ relationship as policies, solutions and policies for the presence of digital libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library
| Policies | Components | Very low | Low | Medium | High | Very high | Sum | Sig | Binomial |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | |||||
| Identifying the proposed factors’ relationship as policies, solutions and policies for the presence of digital libraries in cloud and becoming a cloud library | Familiarizing librarians with strategic planning | 1 | 1.7 | 8 | 13.6 | 30 | 50.8 | 19 | 32.2 | 1 | 1.7 | 59 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| Familiarizing librarians with collaborative collections | 2 | 3.4 | 12 | 20.3 | 22 | 37.3 | 20 | 33.9 | 3 | 5.1 | ||||
| Familiarizing librarians with resource sharing consortia | 1 | 1.7 | 16 | 27.1 | 18 | 30.5 | 22 | 37.3 | 2 | 3.4 | ||||
| Introducing librarians to content exchange and service integration protocols | 3 | 5.1 | 16 | 17.1 | 30 | 50.8 | 9 | 15.3 | 1 | 1.7 | ||||
| Librarians’ familiarity with document production techniques, files and digital formats such as doc and pdf | 1 | 1.7 | 3 | 5.1 | 15 | 25.4 | 24 | 40.7 | 16 | 27.1 | ||||
| Librarians’ knowledge of ICDL skills | 2 | 3.4 | 5 | 8.5 | 18 | 30.5 | 21 | 35.6 | 13 | 22 | ||||
| Librarians’ familiarity to the cloud space | 8 | 13.6 | 14 | 23.7 | 22 | 37.7 | 12 | 20.3 | 3 | 5.1 | ||||
| Familiarizing librarians with databases | 1 | 1.7 | 3 | 5.1 | 17 | 28.8 | 31 | 52.5 | 7 | 11.9 | ||||
| Using multiple resources using cloud computing | – | – | – | – | 7 | 11.9 | 30 | 50.8 | 22 | 37.3 | ||||
| Possibility to use personal technologies using cloud computing | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 12 | 20.3 | 28 | 47.5 | 18 | 30.5 | ||||
| Reducing libraries’ hardware and software costs using cloud computing | – | – | 4 | 6.8 | 16 | 27.1 | 21 | 35.6 | 18 | 30.5 | ||||
| Reducing inter-library collaboration processes with cloud computing | 1 | 1.7 | 9 | 15.3 | 18 | 30.5 | 23 | 39 | 8 | 13.6 | ||||
| User’s familiarity with network security issues (helping with information security) | – | – | 1 | 1.7 | 14 | 23.7 | 28 | 47.5 | 16 | 27.1 | ||||
| Librarians’ ability to provide digital services to users | 1 | 1.7 | 2 | 3.4 | 24 | 40.7 | 27 | 45.8 | 5 | 8.5 | ||||
| Managing access to digital and online resources | – | – | 3 | 5.1 | 8 | 13.6 | 30 | 50.8 | 18 | 30.5 | ||||
Identifying the proposed factors’ relationship as resources, facilities and knowledge of academic digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming cloud libraries
| Policies | Components | Very low | Low | Medium | High | Very high | Sum | Sig | Binomial |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | No. | (%) | |||||
| Identifying the proposed factors’ relationship as resources, facilities and knowledge of academic digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming cloud libraries | Librarians’ ability to teach the use of digital information | – | – | 5 | 8.5 | 19 | 32.2 | 30 | 50.8 | 5 | 8.5 | 59 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| The ability of librarians to teach information literacy skills | – | – | 3 | 5.1 | 20 | 33.9 | 30 | 50.8 | 6 | 10.2 | ||||
| Librarians’ ability to organize digital information | 1 | 1.7 | 4 | 6.8 | 24 | 40.7 | 24 | 40.7 | 6 | 10.2 | ||||
| Librarians’ ability to work with cloud storage (such as One Drive, Google Drive and DropBox) | 9 | 15.3 | 22 | 37.3 | 11 | 18.6 | 13 | 22 | 4 | 6.8 | ||||
| Librarians’ ability to work with cloud software (such as iCloud, iTunes and iOS) | 14 | 23.7 | 23 | 39 | 12 | 20.3 | 7 | 11.9 | 3 | 5.1 | ||||
| Librarians’ ability to collect digital resources | 2 | 3.4 | 8 | 13.6 | 22 | 37.3 | 20 | 33.9 | 7 | 11.9 | ||||
| Existence of specialist resources for digital resource management | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3.4 | 30 | 50.8 | 27 | 45.8 | ||||
| The existence of digital storage media in the library | 1 | 1.7 | 7 | 11.9 | 28 | 47.5 | 19 | 32.2 | 4 | 6.8 | ||||
| Infrastructure needed to use the national information network in the library | 1 | 1.7 | 10 | 16.9 | 20 | 33.9 | 20 | 33.9 | 8 | 13.6 | ||||
| Digital library infrastructure | – | – | 5 | 8.5 | 24 | 40.7 | 22 | 37.3 | 8 | 13.6 | ||||
| Storing on the digital library server | – | – | 4 | 6.8 | 22 | 37.3 | 26 | 44.1 | 7 | 11.9 | ||||
| Matching digital library content to meet the information needs of digital users | – | – | 5 | 8.5 | 24 | 40.7 | 25 | 42.5 | 5 | 8.5 | ||||
| Digital content quality in the library | – | – | 8 | 13.6 | 18 | 30.5 | 29 | 49.2 | 4 | 6.8 | ||||
| Interchangeability of information in software available in the digital library | 4 | 6.8 | 7 | 11.9 | 21 | 35.6 | 17 | 28.8 | 10 | 16.9 | ||||
| The requirement for all information sources to be provided by each member library | – | – | 6 | 10.2 | 13 | 22 | 28 | 47.5 | 12 | 20.3 | ||||
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