The literature speaks of a "deluge" of scientific and research data and the importance of capturing and managing it for use beyond its original creating community, purpose, and time. Data value increases as it is interconnected, networked, shared, used, and re-used. This paper extends the conversation about data sharing to "wild…

Purpose: The present study aims to investigate the experience, contribution and opinions of users of respective institutional repositories (IRs) developed in India. Design/methodology/approach: The survey method was used. The data collection tool was a web questionnaire, which was created with the help of software provided by surveymonkey.com…

Science and Technology Novelty Search (S&TNS) is a special information consultation service developed as part of the Chinese Sci-Tech system. The author introduces the concept of S&TNS, and explains its role, and the role of the university library in the process. A quality control model to improve the quality of service of the S&TNS at…

A catalog committee operating within the University of California library system investigated ways to standardize subject and name entries for the National Union Catalog (NUC). Two sources identified as the contributors of most of the unreliable NUC card copies were research libraries with large special collections requiring expanded or refined…

Discusses the concepts of accountability and quality assessment in higher education. Topics include performance indicators in academic libraries, including international standards; factors affecting the reliability and validity of data, including consistency, ease versus utility, and values; and recommendations for research libraries. (LRW)

This paper discusses ensuring high quality research services that meet client needs, based on experiences at the Research and Information Services of the Ontario Legislative Library (Canada). The first section is an introduction that provides an overview of the Research and Information Services and summarizes factors related to quality control.…

Six large academic libraries which belong and contribute cataloging to national online networks were studied. Interviews with catalogers, library administrators, and network quality control personnel showed that nationwide evaluation of catalogers' records creates enhanced status and influence for cataloging peer groups and provides opportunities…

The purpose of this study was to identify the central values and the range of variability for costs associated with selecting and preparing books for microfilm preservation, filming, and maintaining quality control and adequate records. The study was based on data supplied by the libraries at the University of Chicago and Columbia University, the…

Views academic libraries through the lens of the assessment and accountability movements. Illustrates how a research library at the University of Rochester (Rochester, New York) has created an assessment environment in an effort to focus on educational impact. Discusses principles of good practice, and formal and informal evaluation. (AEF)

In April 1993, the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) conducted a survey of its members to update information gathered in 1991 about the existence of quality improvement programs and the use of quality improvement processes in research libraries. A total of 91 responses (76 percent) was received to the 13 questions of the survey. Fifteen (16…

Written by a former McDonald's manager who earned a master's degree in library science, this article describes how "QSC"--quality, services, and cleanliness--can be applied to libraries in the same way it is used by restaurants. Argues that libraries are simply businesses that cater to customers. (Contains 42 references.) (NB)

Argues that, as library roles change, providing access to information resources is becoming more important than acquisition of library resources and that libraries should be evaluated based upon what they actually do. Access and performance measures are proposed to supplement the statistics collected by the Association of Research Libraries. (30…

This Systems and Procedures Evaluation Center (SPEC) kit is based on information and documents submitted by 15 Association of Research Library (ARL) member libraries in response to an August 1986 questionnaire mailed to 19 ARL libraries selected on the basis of their size, level of automation, and organizational structure of copy cataloging. A…

Describes a model of Total Quality Management (TQM) developed by the Association of Research Libraries. The issues, elements and processes of a comprehensive TQM-based transition, including commitment by management, linkage to organizational strategic planning, organizational culture, understanding customers, and quality teams are covered.…

Argues that perception studies and ranking are lacking in validity and reliability because of small sample size, simplistic statistical analyses, and the evaluation of quality by educators. It is asserted that quality control is more valid when evaluated by the customers of education, i.e., the students. (11 references) (EA)