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The purpose of this study is to present a model for influential factors on customer loyalty in public libraries and its evaluation in public libraries of western Iran.

This research is a correlation study and uses a questionnaire as a data gathering tool. The statistical population consists of all members of public libraries in western Iran. The final data analysis was carried out using 467 completed questionnaires and data were analysed using SPSS19 and AMOS19 software.

The findings of this study showed that perceived value has the largest influence on customer loyalty with a factor of 0.451. The second most influential factor is customer satisfaction with a factor of 0.214. Three predictor variables are the effect of the services, controlling the provided information and library as a location, which had the highest influence on perceived value of libraries’ customers. The findings also showed that perceived value with meaningfulness level of p < 0.001 and a value of 0.316 has the most influence on libraries’ customer satisfaction.

Identifying and improving the influential factors on customer loyalty in public libraries can increase the customer return rate of these libraries. Public library managers of Iran, especially in western Iran, can use the findings of this study to improve the influential factors on customer loyalty in libraries under their care.

The purpose of the present survey is to identify and measure generic core competencies essential for Iranian library and information science (LIS) students.

The study population included all undergraduate LIS students in Iran, and the sample included all undergraduate LIS students in the three universities of Tehran, Shahid Chamran and Ferdowsi of Mashhad. The study was performed during the second semester (February to May) of the 2010-2011 academic year. After a thorough review of the literature, a pattern for generic core competencies was formulated and, accordingly, a researcher-designed questionnaire was developed and distributed. The final data analysis was carried out using 207 completed questionnaires, and the data were analysed using the SPSS19 software.

Except for English and management, the major participants’ scores mean for the 12 identified generic core competencies were higher than the total mean.

Besides presenting a new theoretical pattern for measuring core generic competencies, especially for students in the LIS field, the study is expected to help higher education planners to channel their efforts into strengthening the examined competencies.