Academic Librarianship and Information Research

Academic Librarianship and Information Research

Artificial Intelligence Literacy among Iranian Academic Librarians, Assessing Competencies and Designing an Educational Framework

Articles in Press
Authors
Reza Farajpour 1
Michael.Adrian Peters 2
1 Department of Law, Yas.C., Islamic Azad University, Yasuj, Iran.
2 Faculty of Education, Policy Cultural & Social Studies, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
10.22059/jlib.2026.109128
Abstract
Objective: This conceptual, design-oriented study seeks to define what “artificial intelligence literacy” entails for academic librarians in Iran. It aims to determine how this literacy can be conceptualized, assessed, and effectively taught, specifically considering the challenges of constrained access environments.
Method: The study utilized a non-empirical, design-based approach consisting of three analytical phases: 1. Comparative Analysis: Evaluation of six existing international competency frameworks; 2. Narrative Synthesis: A structured review of empirical studies on librarian competencies published between 2020 and 2026; and 3. Design-Based Construction: Development of a comprehensive framework (the “Simorgh” framework), an assessment instrument, a curriculum, and an implementation roadmap.
Results: The analysis reveals that while existing frameworks converge on four competency clusters knowledge, evaluation, application, and ethics they systematically overlook two capabilities critical to constrained settings: pedagogical capability (the ability to teach others) and infrastructural capability (the ability to work productively when access is restricted or unstable).
The proposed “Simorgh” framework integrates these missing dimensions, resulting in six total domains spanning three proficiency levels and eighteen competency blocks with role-differentiated targets.
Conclusions: The study provides a complete toolkit for implementation, including a behaviorally anchored self-assessment instrument, a computable gap index, a 62-hour, four tier curriculum, and a 24-month national roadmap, alongside the necessary validation protocols. Ultimately, the study argues that AI literacy in libraries should be viewed as a distributed institutional capability rather than merely an individual attribute.
Keywords
artificial intelligence
information literacy
librarians
university libraries
ervice training
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Academic Librarianship and Information Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 28 September 2026