What are universities doing here? Migrating traditional dissertations into ETDs in Iran

Abstract

PurposeMany universities and libraries throughout the world are now making digitized versions of traditional (print) dissertations available online. Some of these institutions have even gone so far as to completely eliminate printed copies. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) in Iran and elsewhere.Design/methodology/approachThe paper notes that many theses and dissertations are now sitting on shelves, unread, in our libraries. Electronic publication can make these works accessible to students, researchers, and others who perhaps lack time, search capabilities, or finances. The paper looks at what universities are doing about the problem, and summarizes the current position in Iran university libraries.FindingsA growing realization has emerged among those working on ETDs in Iran that it is critically important that libraries remain not just involved, but centrally positioned in the development of the national information infrastructure.Practical implicationsThe paper shows that the future of E‐theses and of archiving and searching in general depends on institutions being able to deliver top quality services, with a high degree of interoperability. This means, among other things, that systems must continue to be developed and they must be able to handle many different types of digital objects.Originality/valueThe paper claims that as we prepare students for scholarship in the twenty‐first century, Iran 1400, for example, it is imperative that librarians consider how to manage these important new forms of writing.