Quality Library: A Guide to Staff-Driven Improvement, Better Efficiency, and Happier Customers »

"Based on more than fifty years of combined expertise in organizational improvement, The Quality Library offers a methodology for pinpointing trouble areas and improving processes. By developing a customer-focused system outlining library processes and networks, administrators and managers can quickly determine areas for change that apply directly to the library's goals and missions. Staff will also learn how to measure the performance of new processes, giving the library a means of quantifying their effects." By continuously evaluating processes based on the guidelines and worksheets provided here, public and academic library administrators and managers will improve the quality and efficiency of service for patrons and staff alike.

Ch. 1 The Continuous Improvement Approach 1

Ch. 2 Identify Library Processes and Assess Their Importance and Condition 22

Ch. 3 Standardize the Process 44

Ch. 4 Measure Process Performance 68

Ch. 5 Rapidly Improve the Process 84

Ch. 6 Manage Process Improvement throughout the Library System 105

App. A List of Library Processes 121

App. B Library Process Measures 127

Glossary of Process Improvement Terms 133

References 137

Index 141