Núria Balagué

Auditing the library's quality system

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to describe the main features of a university library quality management system, focusing specially on internal auditing.Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a case study approach, the paper attempts to show how auditing is a useful information management tool to improve library services.Findings – Internal auditing helps to consolidate the culture of quality and promote appropriate ethics and values.Research limitations/implications – The paper is based on a study case and the professional experience of the author.Practical implications – A view on a consolidated librarys quality management system is presented in the paper.Originality/value – The paper provides ideas on how a library approaches an internal audit.

Managing Your Library and its Quality

Part 1 Quality management issues and the use of ISO 9001 in the library environment: Quality approaches The ISO standards Origin and evolution of the ISO 9000 standard Which libraries use the ISO 9001 and why. Part 2 Building your librarys quality management system according to the ISO 9001 standard: Introduction Quality management systems - requirements Normative reference Terms and definitions Quality management system Management responsibility Resource management Product realisation Measurement, analysis and improvement The certifi cation process Further ideas for improving the quality management system.

Comparing the knowledge management practices in selected European higher education libraries

Purpose – Knowledge Management (KM) in libraries refers to the systematic management and control of knowledge as an important resource when producing high-quality library and information services. If one wishes to make the optimal use and dissemination of organizational and other work life related knowledge, then one needs to acquire appropriate KM tools and to adopt a systematic procedure for KM throughout the organization. This can exert an energizing effect on the lifelong learning of the libraries’ staff which is essential in today’s rapidly changing scientific information environment. The purpose of this paper is to analyze KM practices is selected higher education libraries. Design/methodology/approach – This qualitative research conducted in three academic libraries – IZUS/Universitatsbibliothek Stuttgart, Germany; Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) Library Barcelona, Spain; and University of Eastern Finland (UEF) Library, Finland – makes a comparison of the KM processes being implemented in e...

Enhancing the Quality of the Library Processes - Benchmarking Workplace Information Literacy and Numeracy Practices and Communication Tools in Two European University Libraries

The aim of this paper is to investigate how two European university libraries have utilized communication tools to guarantee information literacy and numeracy for academic librarians in order to increase the quality of the services. The paper is based on data about the communication tools implemented and used in the selected institutions. Each communication tool has been defined and their uses compared at each library and its role in their PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) circle considered. The workplace information systems and their valid implementation can help in the organization’s strategy work. It also enhances the quality of the library’s service processes.