Introduction and Preparation of Job Description of the Education Librarian and its Organizational Place in the Central Libraries of Medical Universities in Iran

Although library instruction passed through expand and profound revolution in necessity, content and methods of instruction during the last century, the position of Education Librarian for carrying out the formal, current and regular design and programming of library instruction programs within libraries, emerged around 1975 in the United States of America. In Iran, library education and instruction has been considered as a necessity in the past three decades, however, there no serious practical efforts has been made for carrying out formal, and regular library instruction programs in libraries. The present study focuses on identification of efficient factors compose the job description of the Education Librarian within the realm of a central library in universities affiliated to the Iranian Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education. The study surveyed the views of a total of 126 library managers, heads of Information Services, and head librarians in Circulation and Reference Services in 42 universities under study. The data were collected through questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS 13. Calculation of Cronbach’s Alpha being 0.8633 approved the reliability of the questionnaire. Analysis of the collected data suggested the expected duties, skills, organizational place, and other required conditions to be included in job description of the Education librarian, based on the research findings.