Case studies and comparison between two models for assessing library service quality
| Pages | 1099-1113 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-11-2016-0246 |
| Date | 10 December 2018 |
| Published date | 10 December 2018 |
| Author | Qingkui Xi,Heng Zhao,Yitao Hu,Yunjuan Tong,Ping Bao |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
Case studies and comparison
between two models for assessing
library service quality
Qingkui Xi
Department of Library, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, China
Heng Zhao
Department of Scientific Research, Nanjing Agricultural University,
Jiangsu, China, and
Yitao Hu,Yunjuan Tong and Ping Bao
Department of Library, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, China
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to describe case studies of two models,LibQUALþand a model based on the
analytic hierarchy process (AHP), used to assess library service quality and compare the two assessment
models.
Design/methodology/approach –First, an AHP-based evaluation model is set up to assess library
service quality, following whichthe model is adapted to assess the service quality of Nanjing Agricultural
University Library. Second, a modified LibQUALþmodel is created and implemented in the form of a
questionnaire survey to assess the library service quality of the same library. Finally, the two assessment
models are compared.
Findings –The results of the two case studies indicate that LibQUALþis suitablefor assessing Chinese
university libraries after modified, and the library AHP model is more suitable for comparing libraries in
China betweenthemselves.
Originality/value –This paper uses two methodsfor assessing library service quality; this should prove
to be helpful forthe librarians interested in assessing the service qualityof Chinese university libraries.
Keywords AHP, Service quality, LibQUAL+, Comparison, Evaluation model
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Society should always be concerned with library service quality, but the assessment of
library service quality is always a subject of dispute and discussion. Since the twentieth
century, various assessmentmodels of library service quality have been developed, such as
LibQUALþ(Thompson, 2015), InsyncSurveys (2017) and ClimateQUAL (2017). Especially,
LibQUALþis now popular in North America and has been adopted by many universities
around the world. The international model was even tested and adopted by some Chinese
universities, although some successful Chinese methods or models included the library
The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and editors for their valuable suggestions,
and the experts and participants for their assistance.
Funding: This work is supported by: Social science funds of Jiangsu Province in China, 17SYC-
117,18SWC-30; and Fundamental Research Fundsfor the Chinese Central Universities, SKGL2017014,
SKYC2017019,and finally, Funds of Library Societyof Jiangsu province in China, 17YB07.
Assessing
library service
quality
Received22 November 2016
Revised31 March 2017
11July 2017
19September 2017
10November 2017
3March 2018
5 May2018
Accepted23 May 2018
TheElectronic Library
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/EL-11-2016-0246
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