| This study examined user expectations for and perceptions of library service quality at an academic library at Mahasarakham University (MSU), Thailand focusing on three service areas: (a) circulation; (b) reference; and (c) computer information service. These expectations and perceptions were used to identify actions that can be taken to improve library services at MSU.;A survey of graduate students and faculty members was used to identify (a) the expectations these users have of the library and their (b) perceptions of the degree to which those expectations have been met. Library service quality was measured through a Thai translation of the SERVQUAL instrument as adapted by Danuta Ann Nitecki for use in academic libraries. A follow-up survey of library staff based on the findings of the SERVQUAL instrument was developed by the researcher to prioritize actions for service improvement. The subjects of this study consisted of 582 graduate students, 84 faculty members of Mahasarakham University, and 25 professional library staff members.;Several insights were gained in terms of potentially unmet expectations for service, the relative values users place on different dimensions of service quality, the specific problems users have encountered in the past six months, and the ways librarians and library staff feel that the library at MSU can better meet user expectations. At the same time, the study provided insights into potential weaknesses in the approach used to garner these insights. It also suggested the danger of taking an extreme view of the primacy of user perceptions in studies of library service quality. Both have implications for future studies of service quality at the library at Mahasarakham University. |
