2009 Articles

Does Size Matter? The Effect of Resource Base on Faculty Service Quality Perceptions in Academic Libraries

Jaggars, Damon E.; Jaggars, Shanna; Heath, Fred

We explore whether the relative size of an academic library's resource base, as indicated by the Carnegie classification of the library's parent institution, impacts faculty perceptions of library service quality. Using results from the 2006 administration of the LibQUAL+® survey, the study tests for statistically significant differences between research universities and masters-level universities in terms of faculty minimum, perceived, desired and adequacy gap scores for each of the three LibQUAL+® service dimensions (Information Control, Library as Place, and Affect of Service). Findings suggest that university type does impact expectations and perceptions of service quality, but does not impact ratings of service adequacy, the extent to which faculty perceive that a library meets their expectations.