Evaluation of Medical Librarians’ Level of Information and Communication Technology Skills Based on MLA Statements: A study in Iran

Authors

Mina Tavassoli-Farahi, Health Information Management Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran ; Department of Health Information Technology, Faculty of Para-Medicine, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, IranFollow
Masoumeh Tajafari, Department of Library and Information Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, IranFollow
Iman Tahamtan, Student Research Committee, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.Follow

Document Type

Article

Citation

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Abstract

Due to the importance of ICT skills, several leading associations have released guidelines on needed ICT skills for librarians. In this study, Medical Library Association (MLA) statements on ICT skills were used for evaluating medical librarians’ level of information and communication technology expertise in Iran. A census sampling method was used. Chief Librarians working in college libraries affiliated to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) in Iran participated in this study. Findings showed that based on MLA’s skill statements, medical LIS professionals working in medical, dental and pharmacy colleges possessed adequate skill in communications and information infrastructure including the Internet and Web; inadequate skill in integration of systems and technologies; and applications in emerging areas of biomedicine, computational biology and health information; medium skill in basic principles of automated systems, data standards, and system analysis techniques including design and evaluation; acquisition, use, and evaluation of information technologies; and technological solutions for permanent access to electronic information.