Today’s factors of user satisfaction with library services and their quality

Abstract

Library user satisfaction is traditionally related to meeting his/her information needs. For long, “user satisfaction” was considered to be a relative indicator as the libraries were established in adapted spaces in Azerbaijan. “The service management” concept put this problem on the agenda. Today, within the context of Azerbaijan economic development, the libraries and information organizations meet the world standards which makes the user satisfaction issue relevant. The authors examine the factors of user satisfaction and reveal strong and weak points of library and information activities in Azerbaijan. The study is based on SERVQUAL model. The Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) was calculated and assessed according to Laykert-а scale of 1 to 7, and the threshold index. Based on the analysis findings, ergonomic environment, provision of new information, staff expertise and openness of managment innovations were identified as the key factors of user satisfaction and service quality. The authors emphasize the importance of international standards and exeprience exchange in the area under consideration and the need for new approaches, models and assessment methods.