Journal of Information and Knowledge (Formerly SRELS Journal of Information Management)

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Adaptation of Service Quality for Academic Libraries in Sri Lanka


Affiliations
1 Department of Library and Information Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
     

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This research was based on a quantitative study that aims to evaluate the quality of services in academic libraries in Sri Lanka.. A self developed questionnaire was used to rate the level of services regarding the six dimensions. The instrument was distributed among randomly selected 200 undergraduates from three universities. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and Service Quality Indexes Test were applied to analyse the obtained data. The research revealed that the quality of services provided by the libraries was unsatisfactory. More than half of the respondents have not expressed that the library services were in satisfactory level. Further, analysis indicated that “Check out system of the library materials” “Convenient service hours”, “Internet facilities for library users” and “Availability of information in the online catalogue” were the poor services offered as found by the study.

Keywords

Service Quality, Academic Libraries, User Studies, Sri Lanka.
User
About The Authors

I. M. Nawarathne
Department of Library and Information Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
India

Ajay Pratap Singh
Department of Library and Information Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
India


Notifications

  • Somaratna, S.D. (2010) User expectation versus user perception of service quality in university libraries. ICULA, Colombo: University Librarian Association.

  • Nawarathne, I. M. (2008) Reading habits of undergraduates in Sri Lanka. INSY, Belihuloya. Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.

  • Danuta, A Nitecki. (1996) Changing the Concept and Measure of Service Quality in Academic Libraries. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 22(3): 181-190

  • http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/1769/1/ALIS%2055(2)%2087-90.pdf. Retrieved on 2 March 2013.

  • Danuta, A Nitecki. (1996) Changing the Concept and Measure of Service Quality in Academic Libraries. The Journal of Academic librarianship, 22(3): 181-190.

  • Quinn, Brian. (1997) Adapting service quality concepts to academic libraries. Journal of academic librarianship, 23: 359-369.

  • Sirkin, A.F. (1993) Customer service: another side of TQM. Journal Library Administration, 8: 71-83.

  • Carnegie, G.D, and B.P West. (2003) Placing monetary values on public repositories of knowledge: why, when and so what. The Council of Australian University Librarian Seminar.

  • Parasuraman, A.; Zeithaml, V.A and Berry, L.L. (1994) Reassessment of Expectations as a comparison standard in measuring service quality: implications for further research. Journal of Marketing, 58: 111-24.

  • Parasuraman, A.; Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L.. (1985) A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4): 41-50.

  • Parasuraman, A.; Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1988) SERVQUAL: a multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1): 12-40.

  • Parasuraman, A.; Zeithmal, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1991) Refinement and reassessment of the SERVQUAL scale. Journal of Retailing, 67(4): 420-50.

  • Marilyn, D. White and Eileen, G. Abels. (1995) Measuring Service Quality in Special Libraries: lessons learned from marketing. Special Libraries, 86(4) : 36-45.

  • Chen,Yen-Ting and Chou, Tsung-Yu. (2011) Applying GRA and QFD to Improve Library Service Quality. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 37(3): 237–245.

  • Nejatiand, Mehran and Nejati, Mostafa. (2008) Service Quality at University of Tehran Central Library, Journal. Library Management, 29(6/7): 571-582.

  • Arshad, Alia and Ameen, Kanwal. (2010) Service Quality of the University of the Punjab’s Libraries: an exploration of users’ perceptions. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 11(3): 313-325.


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  • Adaptation of Service Quality for Academic Libraries in Sri Lanka

Abstract Views: 462  |  PDF Views: 8

Authors

I. M. Nawarathne
Department of Library and Information Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
Ajay Pratap Singh
Department of Library and Information Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

Abstract


This research was based on a quantitative study that aims to evaluate the quality of services in academic libraries in Sri Lanka.. A self developed questionnaire was used to rate the level of services regarding the six dimensions. The instrument was distributed among randomly selected 200 undergraduates from three universities. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and Service Quality Indexes Test were applied to analyse the obtained data. The research revealed that the quality of services provided by the libraries was unsatisfactory. More than half of the respondents have not expressed that the library services were in satisfactory level. Further, analysis indicated that “Check out system of the library materials” “Convenient service hours”, “Internet facilities for library users” and “Availability of information in the online catalogue” were the poor services offered as found by the study.

Keywords


Service Quality, Academic Libraries, User Studies, Sri Lanka.

References