A Service Profile Based Service Quality Model for an Institutional Electronic Library

Abstract

Devising a scheme for evaluating the service quality of an institutional electronic library is a difficult and challenging task. The challenge comes from the fact that the services provided by an institutional electronic library depend upon the contents requested by the users and the contents housed by the library. Different types of users might be interested in different types of contents. In this paper, we propose a technique for evaluating the service quality of an institutional electronic library. Our scheme is based on the service profiles of contents requested by the users at the server side which is hosted at the library. Further, we propose models to analyze the service quality of an electronic library. For analyzing the service quality, we present two analytical models. The first one is based on the number of days by which the item to be served by the library is delayed and the penalty points per day for the duration for which the item is delayed. The second model is based on the credits earned by the library if the item is served in a timely fashion, and the penalties, thereof, if the item is delayed. These models may help in evaluating the service quality of an electronic library and taking the corrective measures to improve it.Index Terms-Service quality, service profile, eLibrary, delay based model, credit based model.