Evaluating digital libraries: a systematised review.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the models and methods for evaluating digital libraries.

METHODS: Springer, Science Direct, ProQuest, Emerald, Wiley, LISTA, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, Magiran (Persian), Irandoc (Persian), SID (Persian) and Noormags (Persian) databases were searched systematically based on the defined criteria. Selection criteria included full-text articles and dissertations published in English and Persian languages in 2004-2017. The final included articles (n = 64) were reviewed, selected and analysed by group discussions.

RESULTS: The results of analysing 64 included articles for this systematised review specified that the evaluation of digital libraries is mostly focused on the service quality aspect, and DigiQual was the most frequently used model. Few studies have evaluated digital libraries in the health sector. The researcher developed questionnaire is the most frequently used method to evaluate digital libraries.

CONCLUSION: Because there are fewer studies of digital libraries evaluation in the health sector, the specific features of health digital libraries should be addressed by librarians and health digital library designers to develop specific models.