Technical services and user service improvement
| Published date | 01 July 2006 |
| Pages | 505-514 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120610702486 |
| Date | 01 July 2006 |
| Author | Jie Huang,Katherine Wong |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Technical services and user
service improvement
Jie Huang and Katherine Wong
University of Oklahoma Libraries, Cleveland, Oklahoma, USA
Abstract
Purpose – From the cataloging librarians’ point of view, this paper aims to present how technical
services, especially the cataloging department, can play important roles in the improvement of user
services.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines the practices of the University of
Oklahoma Libraries.
Findings – The paper identifies several aspects in which technical services can enhance the quality
of user services, especially in the cataloging department. A library’s online catalog becomes the first
point of access to the library’s information resources. Its quality can be improved and enriched in
many ways to raise users’ satisfaction. Aside from the improvement in technical aspects, efforts
should also be made to promote collaboration between technical and public services so as to ensure
efficient processing of materials and to meet the needs of library users.
Originality/value – The value of the paper is in showing that the quality of an online catalog and
the cooperation between public and technical services are two of the key factors in achieving high
quality of user services.
Keywords Online catalogues,Library users, Technology led strategy
Paper type General review
Introduction
How to improve the quality of user services in the twenty-first century is an important
issue faced by all libraries throughout the world (see, e.g. Shapiro and Long, 1994; Shin
and Kim, 2002). Traditionally, the term “user services” refers to the functions of, and
interactions within, library public services; its definition usually does not include the
concept of technical services (Groves et al., 2004). As information technology, especially
the online catalog, plays an increasingly bigger role in library user services, however,
the traditional boundary between public and technical services, in terms of the role in
user services, has become less clear. “User services” are no longer an issue only related
to public services; their quality is affected by technical services as well (Behrend, 2000;
Madarash-Hill and Hill, 2005; Matthews, 2001; Sabini, 2004). It has even been claimed
that “Technical Services ¼User Services” (Groves et al., 2004).
The online catalog is capable of providing wide-ranging information service since it
has potentially infinite linking power that can direct and connect library users to
forever growing electronic resources, as well as physical collections. With the
globalization of the online catalog, the catalog is no longer just a tool, as it used to be,
when it meant stacks of static cards stored in separate little drawers; it has become a
dynamic gateway to increasingly expanding information resources through constantly
extending networks of hyperlinks. It is still important, as ever before, for us cataloging
librarians to adhere to prescribed standards and rules when working on bibliographic
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
User service
improvement
505
Received 29 May 2006
Revised 7 June 2006
Accepted 12 June 2006
Library Management
Vol. 27 No. 6/7, 2006
pp. 505-514
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120610702486
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