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Getting our priorities in order: are our service values in line with the communities we serve?

Getting our priorities in order: are our service values in line with the communities we serve? Purpose – LibQUAL+® allows users to rate their minimum, perceived, and desired levels of service for 22 items in three dimensions: information control, library as place, and service affect. Using the results from the 2005 survey at the University of Texas at Austin, this paper aims to examine how well the service priorities of library staff are aligned with the priorities of undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. Design/methodology/approach – The paper has re‐scaled the “desired” score for each item to reflect the degree to which the item is above or below the average desired level for that individual. The rescaled scores (termed “priority” scores) for the 22 items were then compared between the four groups using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Findings – Preliminary results indicate that service priorities for library staff align more closely with those of undergraduates than with those of graduate students and faculty. Practical implications – This analysis is a first step in identifying service priority gaps between library staff and the users they serve. The intention is to promote discussion among library staff about users' needs and how closely staff service priorities align with those needs. In addition, the findings may prove useful as management information by allowing the analysis of users' service priorities and integrating the results of this analysis into organizational decision making and planning processes. Originality/value – This paper describes a development of LibQUAL+® that enables a greater depth of understanding of service priorities. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Performance Measurement and Metrics Emerald Publishing

Getting our priorities in order: are our service values in line with the communities we serve?

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
1467-8047
DOI
10.1108/14678040810928408
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – LibQUAL+® allows users to rate their minimum, perceived, and desired levels of service for 22 items in three dimensions: information control, library as place, and service affect. Using the results from the 2005 survey at the University of Texas at Austin, this paper aims to examine how well the service priorities of library staff are aligned with the priorities of undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. Design/methodology/approach – The paper has re‐scaled the “desired” score for each item to reflect the degree to which the item is above or below the average desired level for that individual. The rescaled scores (termed “priority” scores) for the 22 items were then compared between the four groups using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Findings – Preliminary results indicate that service priorities for library staff align more closely with those of undergraduates than with those of graduate students and faculty. Practical implications – This analysis is a first step in identifying service priority gaps between library staff and the users they serve. The intention is to promote discussion among library staff about users' needs and how closely staff service priorities align with those needs. In addition, the findings may prove useful as management information by allowing the analysis of users' service priorities and integrating the results of this analysis into organizational decision making and planning processes. Originality/value – This paper describes a development of LibQUAL+® that enables a greater depth of understanding of service priorities.

Journal

Performance Measurement and Metrics – Emerald Publishing

Published: Oct 31, 2008

Keywords: Customer service management; University libraries; Multivariate analysis; Quality management

References

  • Service quality and customer satisfaction do matter
    Altman, E.; Hernon, P.
  • Changing nature of information and user needs in the modern electronic networked environment, challenge for libraries
    Anwar, M.
  • LibQUAL+™: Charting Library Service Quality
    Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
  • The Measurement and Evaluation of Library Services
    Baker, S.L.; Wilfrid, L.F.
  • The impossibility of auditor independence
    Bazerman, M.H.; Morgan, K.P.; Loewenstein, G.F.
  • Putting “Service” into Library Staff Training: A Patron‐centered Guide
    Bessler, J.M.
  • Redesigning Library Services: A Manifesto
    Buckland, M.K.