تحقیقات اطلاعرسانی و کتابخانههای عمومی (Jun 2024)
Development and Validation of the Social Entrepreneurship Scale in Iranian Public Libraries
Abstract
Purpose: The measurement of public library services in the area of social entrepreneurship can be significantly impacted by the use of the standard tool for measuring social entrepreneurship. This study aimed to develop and validate a social entrepreneurship scale for its use in Iranian public libraries. Method: In terms of purpose, the present research is applied, and in terms of data collection it is a descriptive correlation. The statistical population of this research includes all the librarians of Iran's public libraries, amounting to 7000 and of them, 300 librarians were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data and the instrument's validity was calculated using content validity and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The reliability of the tool was also higher than .60 using Cronbach's alpha for each index and was obtained by the binomial method. In this method, a value of .82 was obtained for odd items and.78 for even items, which showed that the questionnaire has the necessary reliability. The online questionnaire was provided to the librarians of public libraries in the country through the internal network of public libraries. The total number of collected questionnaires was 289. Findings: Based on the findings of this research, all factor loadings of social entrepreneurship indicators in public libraries (lifelong learning, emergency response, civic engagement, economic development, health, and diversity and inclusion) were obtained above .5, and the results of factor analysis, exploratory and confirmatory validity and appropriate reliability of the tool confirmed this. Considering the appropriateness of the social entrepreneurship measuring tool in Iran's public libraries, it can be identified as a valid tool in related research. The results of this research are useful for target groups such as library and information science students to evaluate social entrepreneurship services. It also could be useful for public library librarians and managers to provide social entrepreneurship services and policy-making in this direction. Finally, it can be said that the construction of this tool leads to a better understanding of the needs of society, better use of financial resources, improved coordination between public library managers and human forces, more freedom in choosing resources to satisfy the needs of society, and making more effective and efficient activities in public libraries. Originality/Value: Public libraries, using social entrepreneurship, deal with challenges such as unequal economic access and unequal capacities of society in benefiting from public services. According to the review of the research background, the lack of research in the field of social entrepreneurship in public libraries was evident and most of the research in the field of entrepreneurship was done in general. On the other hand, a standard tool that can evaluate the state of social entrepreneurship in public libraries was not found in previous research. Therefore, the current research is innovative from the thematic and methodological aspects. The present study is helpful because it designed and validated the social entrepreneurship measurement tool in the context of public libraries in Iran.
