---Tqm

APPLICATION OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT TO LIBRARY AND

INFORMATION SERVICES IN

OLIVAREZ COLLEGE

Submitted by:

Paul Edward A. Cristobal

BSBA – Operations Management III

INTRODUCTION

The conventional universities have more than a hundred years of tradition and many have international recognition as centers of excellence in specific disciplines. In this competitive educational environment, open universities in India are thriving to establish reputation by way of imparting quality education to the distance learners. The DEC, the apex body in open and distance education in Olivarez College has initiated several projects to ensure quality in higher education through distance mode. It is in this context that the study of Total Quality Management (TQM) of library and information systems and services becomes crucial.

This paper intends to study the application of TQM to the provision of library and information services.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the study are to:

· Understand the concepts of Quality; Quality Control; Quality Assurance: Total Quality Management;

· Review the Quality Assurance System in Distance Education;

· Examine the application of TQM to Library & Information Science (LIS) Sector, with particular reference to Distance Education Libraries.

I. UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPTS

In order to critically analyze and examine the applications of TQM to Library and Information Services, it is essential in the first place to understand the various related concepts.

1.1 QUALITY

Quality is often used synonymously with excellence. However, for proper quality management, defining quality and its measurement are essential. Quality has been defined variedly in different contexts. There is wide range of definitions or approaches to quality, describing the relative nature of the concept in the context of higher education.

Green and Harvey (1993) identified five different approaches to quality in higher education.

These are,...