Document Type : Research َ Article
Authors
1
Dept of Knowledge and Information Sciences , Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Brijand, Birjand, Iran
2
Knowledge and Information Science, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
Abstract
Purpose: Indigenous water knowledge plays a crucial role in strengthening rural communities’ resilience to drought, yet its predominantly oral transmission and the absence of formal preservation mechanisms expose it to gradual loss. This study aimed to explicate the role of rural public libraries in South Khorasan as intermediaries in managing indigenous water knowledge, focusing on their capacities, challenges, and actionable strategies.
Method: This qualitative study employed a case-study method in the counties of Birjand and Sarbisheh. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 rural public librarians and 6 water experts from the Agricultural Jihad. Purposeful homogeneous sampling continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using a deductive–inductive content analysis approach through MAXQDA software, following three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. Intercoder agreement (Kappa 0.5) indicated acceptable reliability.
Findings: The results showed that rural public libraries in South Khorasan contribute to the indigenous water knowledge cycle through seven major roles: identification, classification, documentation, dissemination, preservation, access, and knowledge sharing. A unifying theme across these roles is facilitation, encompassing field-level engagement with farmers, administrative support, practical training, and multi-channel dissemination. Identified challenges fell into four categories: interactive (weak communication with locals), institutional (insufficient inter-organizational collaboration), cultural (low library use and limited trust), and infrastructural (resource, equipment, and policy limitations). Corresponding strategies include targeted cultural programs, in-service training for librarians, mobilizing local and volunteer capacities, creating digital and mobile infrastructures, and establishing formal partnerships with local institutions.
Conclusion: The findings highlight that rural public libraries in South Khorasan can move beyond traditional lending services and evolve into knowledge ecosystems that integrate the processes of identifying, organizing, documenting, and disseminating indigenous water knowledge. Achieving this role requires provincial policy development for indigenous knowledge management, librarian capacity-building in fieldwork and multimedia production, and establishing a local digital repository.
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