Document Type : Research َ Article
Authors
1
LIS department, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran
2
Associate Professor, LIS department, Tarbiat Modares University
3
Assistant professor, LIS department, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran
4
Associate Professor, LIS department, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is a systematic review of information needs of visually impaired people and role of libraries in meeting them.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The research process is a systematic review. For this purpose, the related studies at the Persian and English databases such as: NLAI, Irandoc, Medlib, Sid, Magiran, Iranmedex, PMC, Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL with the key words of information needs, health information needs, blind people, visually impaired people, low vision, library services, the role of the librarians in providing information has searched and the results of the related to this field on four effective factors information needs of the users. That is, information resources, tools and technologies, the role of library and their services, and the role of the librarians and information providers were extracted from studies and compared.
Findings: Results of the studies on the tools used in the studies showed that major study tools were questionnaire. Therefore, the method of research in majority of them is survey-descriptive. The research societies out of Iran were selected based on the type of library and the organization.
Conclusion: In Iran, the effective factors on information needs of the visually impaired people haven’t proper conditions. In this situation, the role of the librarians in this regard is significant. In summary, In Iran it was shown that the information sources, tools , technology and libraries did not perform successfully in providing information needs of the blinds and the users have less access satisfaction from the situations. Among for factors, the role of the librarians and information scientists in providing the information needs are important.
Keywords
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