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Theory, research and practice in library management 8: Market orientation
Library Management, 2010
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to explore the relevance of market orientation as a strategic orientation in the management of libraries. Design/methodology/approach-The literature is examined to identify aspects of market orientation, and evidence of adoption of market orientation in libraries. Lessons that can be learned from other sectors regarding market orientation are presented, and their relevance for libraries is examined. Findings-This paper finds that market orientation is relevant for libraries as one of many strategic orientations. It found that there is a lack of systematic application of MO in library management, with the focus on selected aspects of MO e.g. customer orientation. Originality/value-This paper provides an overview of how library managers can adopt a market orientated approach to the strategic management of their library services.
Enhancing the customer relationship management in public libraries
Library Hi Tech
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibilities of implementing the customer relationship management (CRM) concept and smart technologies in public libraries in developing countries. The goal was to explore the level of librarians' awareness about CRM concept and their willingness to accept the CRM concept in libraries. Also, patrons' satisfaction with the quality of services and relationships in public libraries is explored. Design/methodology/approach-The authors obtained data for this research through two online surveys. The first survey measures librarians' level of awareness about CRM concept and their perception about CRM and smart technologies concept in public libraries in three developing countries: Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The second survey measures patrons' satisfaction with services and relationship in public libraries in these three countries. Findings-The research results revealed that most surveyed librarians are familiar with the CRM concept. However, libraries in these three developing countries barely use CRM or smart technologies to improve the relationship with stakeholders. Also, most patrons are satisfied with relationships and services. The analysis of data indicates no significant difference in the satisfaction level among patrons between these three developing countries. Research limitations/implications-Not all libraries participated in this research. Therefore, the sample is not distributed evenly across different types of libraries or user groups. Future research should include different types of libraries. Practical implications-The results can be used by public libraries in developing countries to improve the relationship with stakeholders harnessing CRM concept and smart technologies. Social implications-The use of CRM in combination with the smart technologies can help leverage the quality of the relationship between public libraries and stakeholders which in turn would secure their support and loyalty in the future. Originality/value-The integration of CRM concept as a component of library business automation process is an idea that has not been discussed widely in the library community and could initiate a positive trend in public libraries in developing countries.
Customer satisfaction and the strategic role of university libraries
International Journal of Consumer Studies, 2010
The paper stresses the importance of listening to customers at university libraries and the need to move from a library-based view to a customer-based view. Largely on account of their public nature, academic libraries in Finland -where the study was conducted -have until recently, based their operations and development mainly on conventional procedures and library-based perspectives. However, in order to better serve their own clientele, as well as their parent organizations, they need to listen to the voices of their customers, the library users. One way of 'listening' is through a customer survey, in this case LibQUAL -a survey instrument developed in the US for libraries. It collects data on the quality of the services, thus enabling libraries to identify areas in which service levels should be improved.
impact of IT on customer expectation in academic libraries
Technology has transformed the way people live. Current day information seekers are empowered with multiple choices of information sources and libraries no longer remain the primary centre for information seekers. With diminishing time and geographical barriers the world has become a global village and information seekers are stressed with time constraints. It is the duty of library and information professionals to address these tech-savvy library users' needs and align their services to satisfy them.
Library Philosophy and Practice, 2019
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between factors affecting the performance of libraries and the components of customer relationship management (CRM). Method: The research uses a survey method. The study population was patrons of public libraries in Mazandaran province, Iran. The data collection instrument was questionnaire. Findings: The results showed that the correlation coefficient for the focal point variables for specific subjects, proper organization of processes, knowledge management, and technology were 0.682, 0.927, 0.900, and 0.810 respectively, indicating that the linear relationship between these variables is to improve the performance of libraries. In other words, the results of the research indicated that there is a direct linear relationship between CRM and library performance levels. Discussion and Conclusion: Customer relationship management elements seem to play a significant role in improving the level of library performance. ...
2018
This study examined the library users’ minimum acceptable, desired, and actual observed service performance level of the University of Saint Louis (USL) College Library along the four service quality dimensions: access to information (AI), affect of service (AS), library as place (LP) and information control (IC). It also sought to determine the interrelationships of library service quality, satisfaction with library services, and loyalty to library and its services. This study utilized a questionnaire ased on (a) the LIbQUALTM 2003 by the Academic and Research Libraries (ARL) and Texas A&M University Libraries; (b) satisfaction on library services; and (c) loyalty measures. It was distributed among 400 library users. Findings indicated that customers’ minimum acceptable service level along AS, LP and IC are generally high except for AI. Customers’ desired service level indicated that AI, AS, and IC are generally high except for LP which is very high. USL library did not meet the ex...
Studying the cost and value of library services: final report
1995
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This is the final technical report of a 15-month long project to study the costs and value of library functions at five major research libraries. A total of 21 services or service aspects were studied. Numerous measures of the importance or benefit of the service to the users were made. These measures were studied together to lay a foundation for the development of an economically valid scale for assessing the impact of library services.
Are there common academic library customer values?
Library Management, 2008
PurposeThis paper endeavours to provide answers to the following questions: Is there a correlation between what library customers value and the questions asked in benchmarking satisfaction surveys? Is there a core set of academic library customer values? Are there differences between what academic library customers value in Australia when compared to their counterparts in England? Do library customer values change over time?Design/methodology/approachThe results of two similar university libraries' customer value discovery research are compared with each other, and also with the question set in the LibQUAL+™ survey. As the customer value discovery research was undertaken six years apart, the results are compared to see if there has been change over time.FindingsAcademic library customers identified a core set of values, and these values mapped reasonably well to the LibQUAL+™ instrument. However, there were unique value factors identified by the various customer segments that di...
Data Analysis Methods for Library Marketing in Order to Provide Advanced Patron Services
2010
Our society is rapidly changing into information society, where the needs and requests of the people on information access vary vigorously depending who they are. Library's mission has been and still is to provide its users, or patrons, with the most appropriate information. Libraries have to know the profiles of their patrons, in order to achieve such a role. The