Using Quality Function Deployment to Improve Reference Services Quality

Abstract

Much research has been conducted regarding how reference librarians can evaluate and improve the quality of the answers they provide to users' inquiries. There has been considerably less discussion, however, concerning how to improve the quality of the delivery of those answers, and to upgrade the overall quality of reference services as a whole. Suggestions for improving the quality of service contained within the business literature may be applied to improve library services as well. In this paper the use of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) as a tool for improving reference services quality is explored and an adapted framework referred to as service quality function deployment is proposed.