Organizational Climate Assessment of Medical Libraries with International ClimateQUAL Tool in North of Iran

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: An effective organizational climate that is defined as a collection of characteristics of an organization is an important resource for improving staff’s mental health that affects their morale, contribution in decision-making, and also innovation and creativity. This study aimed to assess the organizational climates of the libraries of Northern Iran’s medical universities based on ClimateQUAL indicators. METHODS: This survey and cross-sectional study was conducted on all staff in the libraries of Northern Irans medical universities (Babol, Sari, Gorgan and Guilan) in 2012. A researcher-made questionnaire was used for data collection based on 9 indicators included in ClimateQUAL. Minimum and maximum total score in this tool was 36 and 252 and in each index was 4 and 28 respectively that on this basis, different indicators and educational and hospital libraries were evaluated and compared. FINDINGS: Mean of organizational climate score in medical libraries of Northern Iran’s medical universities was 103.06±51.15. The highest and the least rates of organizational climates belonged to service to client (14.61±4.42) and team work (10±2.65), respectively. Organizational climate of the studied libraries were significantly different (p=<0.05). Also, organizational climates of educational libraries were significantly optimal than that of hospital libraries (p=<0.05).CONCLUSION: According to the results, the organizational climates of educational libraries are optimal.

Keywords

• Organizational Climate
• ClimateQUAL
• Medical Libraries
• Academic medical center.