Title: Service quality improvement strategies and tools for university libraries

Authors: Adam Snider, Yu Xia, Lu Xia

Addresses: Department of Management and Marketing, Jennings A. Jones College of Business, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37130, USA. ' Department of Management and Marketing, Jennings A. Jones College of Business, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37130, USA. ' College of Humanities, Eastern China Jiaotong University, Nanchang, Jiang Xi, 330013, China

Abstract: This paper explores potential service quality improvement strategies and tools for the James E. Walker Library at Middle Tennessee State University. We examine the library|s service quality strategies and provide suggestions for indoctrinating employees with systematic views, building a collaborative working environment, and restructuring a supportive evaluation and improvement system. We also propose modules to standardise specific library service processes, such as that of training student workers. Furthermore, we describe various library service processes, identify quality problems, detect the causes of the problems, and suggest a new shelving procedure for returned books. We also offer a single sampling plan to monitor the system. The research focuses on specific systematic assessment methods for analysing quality issues faced by the university library system. We utilise the bottom-up approach in analysing and solving the library|s individual quality issues. The strategies and tools suggested can be easily extended to other public service systems.

Keywords: service systems; service improvement; quality strategies; quality improvement; systematic assessment methods; bottom-up approaches; USA; United States; university libraries; academic libraries; Middle Tennessee State University; higher education; universities; service quality; employee indoctrination; systematic views; collaborative working environments; collaboration; librarians; library workers; restructuring; supportive evaluation; improvement systems; modules; Eastern China Jiaotong University; standards; standardisation; library services; library processes; training; student workers; quality problems; problem detection; shelving procedures; public service systems; returned books; single sampling plans; system monitoring; quality issues; issue analysis; society; systems science; social systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSS.2011.038935

International Journal of Society Systems Science, 2011 Vol.3 No.1/2, pp.99 - 118

Published online: 27 Feb 2015 *

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