Towards the Attainment of User Centred Quality Services at the Libraries of The University of Nairobi

Abstract

Modern library users are becoming conscious of the quality of services they expect from their libraries due to influences of globalization and advent of technology. The users are exerting pressure on libraries to deliver the kind of quality services they crave for. The library customers are open to multiple sources of information and expect quality material within shortest possible time irrespective of the format of information. The library being the centre of the university is expected to deliver user-centred quality services in line with the universities objectives and must strive to improve quality of their services to remain competitive. This study was aimed at assessing user-centred services quality at the libraries of the University of Nairobi. The specific objectives were to establish the perception the users regarding the provision of user-centred services; establish the features considered by users as indicators of quality services; and investigate the obstacles to provision of user-centred quality services in the University of Nairobi Libraries. The study adopted a case study of the university of Nairobi libraries. Data collection was done using questionnaires administered to students, library staff and lecturers of the University of Nairobi using purposive sampling. The study findings revealed that perception of quality services by users was not satisfactory. The key aspects necessary in the provision of quality services to users such as, consultative decision, performance measurement were inadequate or lacking. The study concluded that features of quality needed to be captured by conducting user studies that would allow the library to obtain adequate information necessary to provide user-centric quality services. The study recommended documenting and communicating quality services to users; involving staff and users in the decision making; computerizing library operations and introducing performance measurements to help check how the library was performing.