foresight of libraries of medical sciences universities: uncertainties and scenarios

Introduction: university libraries play a crucial role in education and research, often serving as essential consultants. foresight enables these libraries to pinpoint key challenges and actively shape their future. this study aims to outline possible scenarios for the future of libraries at selected medical universities in tehran over the next 20 years.methods: the research unfolded in two stages: identifying fundamental uncertainties and developing scenarios. initially, uncertainties were identified through a review of existing studies and expert opinions collected via questionnaires. the consensus and significance of each uncertainty were assessed, leading to the identification of two primary uncertainties. in the second stage, scenarios were crafted using the intuitive logics method based on these uncertainties.results: ten uncertainties were identified in the initial phase. the uncertainties of independent versus dependent administration and free vs. non-free services emerged as fundamental. four scenarios were then developed: library as a center for interaction and implementation, active libraries, library as a center for development and support, and productive libraries.conclusion: depending on future developments, each of these four scenarios could potentially unfold. university libraries must be prepared to adapt to any of these possibilities.