An Analysis of the Ability of an Instrument to Measure Quality of Library Service and Library Success

This study consisted of an examination of how service quality should be measured within libraries and how library service quality relates to library success. A modified version of the SERVQUAL instrument was evaluated to determine how effectively it measures library service quality. Instruments designed to measure information center success and information system success were evaluated to determine how effectively they measure library success and how they relate to SERVQUAL. A model of library success was developed to examine how library service quality relates to other variables associated with library success. Responses from 385 end users at two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers libraries were obtained through a mail survey. Results indicate that library service quality is best measured with a performance-based version of SERVQUAL, and that measuring importance may be as critical as measuring expectations for management purposes. Results also indicate that library service quality is an important factor in library success and that library success is best measured with a combination of SERVQUAL and library success instruments. The findings have implications for the development of new instruments to more effectively measure library service quality and library success as well as for the development of new models of library service quality and library success.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

1999

Author dc:creator

• Landrum, Hollis T.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Prybutok, Victor
• Kappelman, Leon A.
• Spink, Amanda
• Swigger, Kathleen M.
• Radhakrishnan, N.

• Libraries -- Evaluation.
• Military libraries -- United States -- Evaluation.
• United States. Army. Corps of Engineers -- Libraries.
• service quality
• SERVQUAL
• Army Corps of Engineers
• libraries

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Landrum, Hollis T., Jr.
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 47109475
untcat: b2298963
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2245/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc2245

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc2245