Total Quality Management in Libraries

Introduction

        The meaning of TQM is customer satisfaction through product or services. The customer in the library is user/reader/student. The primary purpose of library is to support the teaching, research and other academic programs of its parent organization. A library is a part of a service organization which delivers personally to the customers. Further it is a step towards desired goals. The concept of TQM has come out through the meaning of quality. Therefore it is necessary to understand the meaning of quality.

Evaluation of TQM

Four stages of evaluation can be identified they are
1) Inspection based system
2) System of Quality control
3) Quality Assurance
4) TQM
Characteristics of TQM

            Following are main characteristics of the TQM.
1) To become user driven rather than self focused.
2) To concentrate on process rather than pre occupied with result.
3) Use of work head in addition to their hands.
4) External and internal alignments.
5) Total involvement, continuous improvement and leadership commitments.
6) Required fundamental changes in worker management treating them an ever-appreciating asset.

Stages of TQM

The process of TQM in an organization can be developed in the following four stages.
a. Identification and preparation
--Identifying and collecting information about organization in the prime area where improvement will have most impact on the organization
--Preparing the detailed basic work for improvement of all the organization activity.

b. Management understanding and commitment
--To make sure that the management understand the objective & methodology of TQM and are prepared to adopt them all the time

c. Scheme for Improvement
--Identify and resolve the quality issues by involving all management & supervision a proper scheme of training & communication
d. New Initiative & Critical organization
--Start new initiatives with new targets and take the complete improvement process...