The shifting focus in the role of academic libraries entail a better understanding, awareness and responsiveness to the needs of the library users. In an environment of change and an age of accountability academic libraries have to determine and demonstrate the impact their resources and services are having on their institutional mission. Service quality is not based exclusively on the perception of the librarians, but also dependent on the perception of users. Only customers judge quality; all other judgments are essentially irrelevant" (Zeithaml, Parasuraman, Berry 1999). The reason of this study was to assess quality in the library and to determine the perceptions of the Vaal Triangle Campus Library users as they relate to quality service and to develop a model to improve service quality. The aim was to determine library users' minimum expectations for services, their desired level of service and then to identify the extent of service they currently perceive on three dimensions of service quality: affect of service, library as place and access to information. A triangulation, mixed method research methodology was employed in this study. Data was collected using focus group as well as individual interviews and the LibQUAL questionnaire. Purposive sampling was used to determine participants for the interviews while a total market survey was employed for the questionnaire respondents. Findings indicate that there is a gap between the users' expectations and perception of service quality. The results indicate that there are variations within the different user groups regarding the expectations and perceptions of service quality at the Vaal Triangle Campus library. In view of the findings, the study concluded by developing a service quality model based on Deming's PDCA cycle, the ISO model and the Hoshin Kanri process / Information Science / M. Inf.

The shifting focus in the role of academic libraries entail a better understanding, awareness and responsiveness to the needs of the library users. In an environment of change and an age of accountability academic libraries have to determine and demonstrate the impact their resources and services are having on their institutional mission. Service quality is not based exclusively on the perception of the librarians, but also dependent on the perception of users. Only customers judge quality; all other judgments are essentially irrelevant" (Zeithaml, Parasuraman, Berry 1999). The reason of this study was to assess quality in the library and to determine the perceptions of the Vaal Triangle Campus Library users as they relate to quality service and to develop a model to improve service quality. The aim was to determine library users' minimum expectations for services, their desired level of service and then to identify the extent of service they currently perceive on three dimensions of service quality: affect of service, library as place and access to information. A triangulation, mixed method research methodology was employed in this study. Data was collected using focus group as well as individual interviews and the LibQUAL questionnaire. Purposive sampling was used to determine participants for the interviews while a total market survey was employed for the questionnaire respondents. Findings indicate that there is a gap between the users' expectations and perception of service quality. The results indicate that there are variations within the different user groups regarding the expectations and perceptions of service quality at the Vaal Triangle Campus library. In view of the findings, the study concluded by developing a service quality model based on Deming's PDCA cycle, the ISO model and the Hoshin Kanri process / Information Science / M. Inf.

Text in English / The study sought to assess the quality of library services by investigating the gaps between various service quality variables using the LibQUAL, SERVQUAL and SERVPERF models. The pragmatic paradigm formed the basis of this study while the mixed methods approach was adopted. The convergent parallel mixed methods design where both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and data were integrated was adopted. Using the side-by-side comparison style, both sets of data were separately analysed and presented. The results were then compared to establish if they confirm or disconfirm each other. Questionnaires were administered to 94 users of the library. To calculate the level of service quality, the study measured the service adequacy gap (SAG), service superiority gap (SSG), zone of tolerance (ZoT), and D-M scores. Followup focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to validate, supplement and further explore the issues that arose from data collected using the questionnaires. The findings revealed a gap between the users’ expectations and perceptions of service quality and that library services were not meeting users’ expectations. The users’ expectations exceeded their perceptions since all service quality scores (SAG, SSG, ZoT and D-M scores) were either low or negative. Generally, the library performed well in the dimensions that touch on human aspects of the library but did poorly in the aspects that touch on information collections, library space and equipment. There were no significant differences between the protocols, with the overall gaps between perceptions and desires being all negative. The findings of the FGDs confirmed those of the questionnaires. The study recommended that the Court should allocate resources in a way that ensures human aspects of the library remain at high levels of service quality, while the shortcomings on aspects of information control, library space and equipment addressed. However, while addressing the physical space aspects, the library should bear in mind that users did not rate them as important for their purposes. This means that the library will need to invest in electronic content that can be accessed remotely by users. In view of the findings, the study concluded by developing a service quality framework on quality improvement and its sustenance at the library and the Court at large. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

This thesis examines the issue of measuring the quality of services from a theoretical and practical perspectives. It's trying to define the term quality in the context of library services, particular performance indicators used in practice and try to provide an overview of the possibilities of its measurement in the Czech environment as well as abroad. It describes methods Balanced ScoreCard, Benchmarking, Total Quality Management, ServQUAL and SWOT analysis, which originally came from the commercial sector and Benchmarking of libraries, Bibliotheksindex and LibQUAL +, which were created directly for a field of librarianship. It also maps the various activities in this field at national and international level. The practical part of the thesis consists of a survey in two selected libraries performed on the basis of three selected methods of quality measurement: Benchmarking of libraries, Bibliotheksindex and SWOT analysis. In conclusion of the thesis is based on the information gathered from own experience and practice created a general framework for service quality, the possibility of increasing quality and it's measurement in academic libraries.