Service Philosophy Statements in Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Abstract

Some academic libraries use service philosophy statements to strengthen the quality of their service culture. A service philosophy statement communicates directly to users what they can—and should—expect from the library. This article describes a study in which the authors applied qualitative content analysis to service philosophy statements. The objective was to examine the form and content of these statements and identify themes, trends, and ideas in order to determine how and what they communicate about a library’s commitment to service. The results of the study found that statements in the sample varied significantly in strength and purpose.

Keywords:

• academic libraries
• content analysis
• customer service
• public services
• service philosophy