Collected Resource from web

1. Service Quality in
Academic Libraries:
Case Studies from Delhi, India
Dr.K. Madhavan
Sangeeta Narang
Neha Chandel
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ICRL 2018

2. ICRL 2018
Overview
Introduction – Definition
Background – why to measure service quality?
Research Gap
Objective
Methodology – survey settings
Pioneering work in the field
Institutions & Libraries profile
Data analysis and findings
Limitations
Suggestions
Conclusion
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3. ICRL 2018
Introduction
The expansion of Internet as a mixed cluster of electronic
documents affect readers’ learning and research.
The educators, researchers and students face problems in
retrieving correct information from the web in short period of time
at right place.
The libraries bring specific, authentic resources to meet the
growing demand of the readers, incorporate new technologies and
tools and offer excellent reading spaces to the learners.
Librarians develop new service paradigms in various areas of
library operations whether it is in purchase of resources, access
and delivery mechanisms or maintenance of collections.
Academic librarians reorient the library services with extreme care
to satisfy readers demand. They are adopting Service Quality
models similar to Total Quality Management (TQM) of business
organizations to stay ahead.
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4. ICRL 2018
Definition
Service quality is the overall evaluation of a specific
service firm that results from comparing that firm’s
performance with the customer ’ s general
expectations of how firms in that industry should
perform - Parasuraman et al. (1988)
An assessment of how well a delivered service
conforms to the client's expectations. Service
business operators often assess the service quality
provided to their customers in order to improve their
service, to quickly identify problems, and to better
assess client satisfaction
(service quality. BusinessDictionary.com. WebFinance, Inc. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/service-
quality.html (accessed: January 29, 2018).
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5. ICRL 2018
Background
Parasuraman,A. Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L.
(1985) underlined the importance of quality
assurance in service deliveries in business
organizations
Their pioneering studies became a role model
for later researchers to advance research
They developed an assessment tool called
“Servqual” to measure service quality
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Why to measure Library Service Quality?
“ A measure of library quality based solely on
collections has become obsolete.”
Nitecki, 1996
“ Within a service-quality assessment model only
customers judge quality; all other judgments are
essentially irrelevant.”
Zeithaml, Parasuraman, Berry, 1990
To serve as diagnostic and benchmarking tool to
improve service quality and increase or maintain
customer satisfaction.
Courtesy: Beatty, and Ryan (2003).Library Service Quality in Academic Libraries: Assessment and Action.
Available at https://tinyurl.com/yaw6zd35

7. ICRL 2018
Research Gap
Literature on service quality is rich enough in
the business sector in India but in LIS this area
did not get the needed attention.
Service quality research done in LIS domain in
the western world is abundant. While Indian
libraries are lagging behind in designing
exemplary service models.
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Service Quality Gaps
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Source:wikipedia

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Objective
The objectives of this study are:
To investigate the customers ’ perception about
library services
To determine the best areas of service quality
To ascertain problems encountered by the users
with regard to library service
To know patrons expectations from the library
To draw suggestions based on patrons response for
the areas in which library need improvement
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Methodology
A common questionnaire on service quality was
developed and distributed to the library patrons at
three higher education institutions in first week of
December 2017. It consisted of 9 close ended
questions and one open ended question.
Open ended question was included with an idea to
provide a platform to patrons for expressing their view
about the library services freely and to draw their
expectations from the libraries
Readers were prior informed about the purpose of this
survey, their participation was voluntary and their
identity was hidden
The collected data was tabulated in MS Excel for
analysis and the findings are presented in the
subsequent slides.
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Survey Settings
Three academic libraries of Delhi considered
for this study include:
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New
Delhi
Gitarattan International Business School (GIBS) ,
Fortune Institute of International Business (FIIB)
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12. ICRL 2018
Survey instrument
In the library settings, it was in the year 2000, the
Association of Research Libraries, USA, partnered
with Texas A&M University Libraries to develop, test,
and refine LibQUAL+ instrument for measuring service
quality in academic libraries
LibQual + measures library users ’ minimum,
perceived, and desired levels of service quality across
three dimensions:
effect of service,
Information control,
library as a place.
“Since 2000, more than 1,300 libraries in 33 countries
have participated in LibQUAL+, including college and
university, community college, health sciences, and
academic law libraries”.
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13. Institutions and Libraries Profile
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All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
AIIMS was established in 1956, by an Act of Parliament as
an institution of national importance to develop patterns
and standards of excellence in teaching undergraduate and
postgraduate medical education. Teaching and research in
the institute is conducted in 70 disciplines. There are over
700 faculty members, 800 undergraduate students and 1500
postgraduate students.
AIIMS provide innovative instructional opportunities to an
expanding number of health professionals both national
and International. It also offers continuing medical
education to thousands of physicians and healthcare
professionals to help improve skills, increase knowledge
and improve performance.
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B. B. Dikshit Library, AIIMS
BB Dikshit Library of AIIMS is open round the clock, seven days a
week except six National Holidays in a year to serve bonafide
members of the institute. It has over 3000 members on library
records and about 300 readers visit library every day.
The library is well equipped with modern technologies to support
medical education and research.
It has a collection of over 1.5 lakh books in diverse disciplines of
medicine; more than 1500 periodicals are subscribed by the library.
In addition, library subscribes to number of medical science
databases viz. UpToDate, BMJ case reports, Access medicine and
several e-books are available. The subscribed online databases and
journals can be browsed within the campus as well as through
remote access.
All documentation services and library operations are computerized
using integrated library management software LibSysPremia.
The library has computer lab consisting of three servers, fifty-four
desktops and ten thin-client computers.
The library provides printing and reprographic services to the library
patrons.
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BBDL (Contd.)
In 2016, the library implemented EBSCO Discovery Service
(EDS) as a single search tool to access numerous
resources. It also procured iThenticate: plagiarism
detection software last year.
Information about all books and documents viz. thesis,
reports received in the library are available online
accessible through Intranet service within the campus,
more records are updated regularly in the database.
Library offers current awareness service, bibliographic
service and reference service to its customers. It publishes
new arrival books bulletin regularly for the benefit of its
readers.
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Gitarattan International Business School
(GIBS)
GIBS is promoted by Rohini Educational Society, Gitarattan
International Business School (GIBS) established in the
year 2004.
This premier Management institute in North India is
affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University,
Delhi(GGSIPU, New Delhi).
The main goal of this academic institution is to provide
quality education to young minds from India and
abroad.(http://www.gitarattan.edu.in/index.php).
GIBS offer graduate and postgraduate courses in Computer
Applications, Management, and Law.
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18. ICRL 2018
GIBS Library
It has a state-of-the-art library, having computer labs and highly
talented faculty and library team.
The learning resource center is well stocked with more than
20,000 management books, 5,000 computer books, 2,500 law
books and other collections.
GIBS Library caters to the information needs of over 1,200
students and 100 teaching faculty.
It subscribes to major databases and is in the process of
modernization.
The Library at GIBS is transitioning in to a modern academic
library by adopting latest library technologies such as Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID)
Library is developing as a knowledge base of e-resources that
include e-journals from premier publishers, NPTEL Videos from
IIT Chennai, and present open access resources for the benefit of
its customers.
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Fortune Institute of International Business
(FIIB)
FIIB was established in 1995, as a premier Business B-School in
Delhi.
It has worked towards rediscovering and reinventing MBA education
through developing an industry relevant and global curriculum
delivered by erudite faculty.
Through its commitment to excellence in Management education,
the college has been able to touch lives of close to 2000+ students
and helped them realize their dreams of becoming Leaders and
Managers, not only in India but across the globe.
The focus of FIIB has been to bring a transformation in the mindset
of its college students by encouraging them to make a difference in
whichever field they choose.
In 23 years of existence, the college has been lauded for its efforts.
Its strong recruiter relationships, ranking among the best B-schools
in India and awards by major business school academies are a
testimony to its growing popularity
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Library
In keeping with the vision and mission of the Institute, the
FIIB library has been established “to facilitate knowledge
generation and application through its effective
dissemination”.
Library holds a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of
knowledge resources such as print and electronic resources
including e-books.
FIIB library also provides access to national/international
databases like Capitaline, EBSCO and J-Gate and to the
National Digital Library, Virtual repository of learning
resources.
FIIB has established linkages with DELNET, which provides
the delivery of individual books as and when required by
members and photocopies of articles published in India and
abroad through the Inter Library Loan/Document Delivery
Services
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21. DATA ANALYSIS
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Distribution of questionnaires
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AIIMS GIMS FIIB
Total
Participants
Total Response 96 62 68 226
Questionnaire
distributed
130 100 100 330
Percentage 73.84% 62% 68% 68.4%

23. ICRL 2018
Institution and library readers profile
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Designation AIIMS GIMS FIIB
Total
Participants
Percentage
UG students 30 23 - 53 16.06%
Graduate
students
13 20 - 33 10.00%
PG students 34 14 63 111 33.64%
Researcher 12 - - 12 3.64%
Staff 4 5 2 11 3.33%
Any
other/visitors
3 - - 3 0.91%
Faculty - - 3 3 0.91%

24. ICRL 2018
Library Visit
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Articles search by library readers
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AIIMS GIBS FIIB
My own personal research on the
Web
46 24 18
By using electronic/online journals
via subscribed databases
18 8 16
By using print journals available in
the library
5 8 8
By requesting library staff 8 2 9
Web links that my friends provide 8 20 17
Library website enables me to locate
information
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26. ICRL 2018
Preference of services
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Problems encountered by library patrons
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Options AIIMS GIMS FIIB
1
Minimum knowledge of
information resources 10 15 14
2
Limited knowledge on information
retrieval process 19 14 17
3
Less exposure provided regarding
library resource 10 13 9
4
I need assistance from the library
staff 14 6 9
5 More resources are needed 10 7 10
6
Additional academic support
services needed 9 7 9

28. ICRL 2018
Findings (1)
Approximately 37 % of patrons visit the library regularly 63% of
patrons visit library at least once in a week.
Approximately 36 % of patrons are referring to print journals and
it reminds us that concerted efforts are to be made to familiarize
the patrons on using electronic resources.
Approximately 54 % of patrons reported that they can themselves
locate the required information resources easily. This underlines
the necessity of conducting more user-orientation sessions for
the students/Patrons.
Reference materials are consulted more in the library (54%) and
the library team has to promote the use of e-resources.
Only 40% of patrons reported that they can access their
information, either from print journals or from online journals,
33% of patrons mentioned that they can locate the required
information through their own strategies. 23 % of Patrons need
support from the library staff in finding the required information
and this emphasizes the need of regular information literacy
sessions to be conducted by the Library team
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Findings (2)
Approximately 68 % of patrons are happy with the Library services and
only 32% of them are unsatisfied with the library services. Since the
library is aiming at customer focused services, more concerted efforts
are to be made by the library team to improve the library services
delivery.
At AIIMS and FIIB approximately 55 % of the patrons noted that providing
research support is the unique service that the library offers and this
reminds that the library team has to provide more academic and research
support services to the patrons.
At GIBS and other two institutions approximately 50 % of the patrons feel
that more library resources should be procured by the libraries and 33%
of patrons recorded that they need more support from the Library during
peak hours. This emphasizes that the library team has to be more
proactive.
Approximately 70 % of the patrons observed that the current library
resources are useful and relevant for their academic program. Quality of
Library services rendered by the three academic libraries included in this
study is comparatively good.
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Limitations of the Study
This research collected data from three higher
educational institutions located in Delhi and similar
studies conducted in other parts of the country would
increase the external validity of the study results.
The service quality survey used in this study is not
strictly analogous to the LIBQUAL survey instrument .
Further studies may investigate the relationship
between service quality and customer satisfaction and
customer behavior in the education sector.
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31. ICRL 2018
Suggestions
Libraries should regularly conduct training programmes for
library patrons, orientation sessions for students on
information literacy and research support services.
Libraries should create a user friendly environment where
customers feel welcomed and valued.
Embed Web 2.0 technologies on to the library website
would help in building networks, facilitate resource sharing
and collaboration with other stakeholder.s
Engage with other IT professionals and motivate library
staff members for their learning and services.
Conduct library service assessments regularly at least once
in an academic year would enable librarians to understand
the patrons expectations from the libraries.
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32. ICRL 2018
Conclusion
This study has demonstrated that there is difference
between the users perception and expectations about the
library services and patrons demand customer- focused
and innovative services.
There is need for librarians to reengineer the infrastructure
and service in accordance with the user demands in the
academic institutions
It is expected that the findings obtained from this
investigation will help to improve the quality of service
deliveries, will bridge service quality gaps, and stimulate
further research in this area.
It is also hoped that the results of this exploratory research
study would help all stakeholders to redefine the service
paradigm ,and to reengineer the façade of library services
in the digital era. 32

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