Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.17818/DIEM/2022/1.7
TRANSFORMING LIBRARIES AS A PROFIT-MAKING ORGANIZATION TO IMPROVE SERVICE PERFORMANCE
Jose Rodolfo Hernandez-Carrion
orcid.org/0000-0002-8237-8634
; University of Valencia, Department of Applied Economics, Faculty of Economics, Spain
Rajesh Chutia
orcid.org/0000-0003-4424-7024
; Department of Library and information Science, Assam University, Assam (India)
Abstract
Libraries are non-profit service-oriented organizations engaged in satisfying the patrons' needs by providing them with whatever they seek from the library, i.e., Books, Journals, Magazines, CDs/DVDs, and Online Resources. However, the libraries must face hardships regarding funds which create difficulties in maintaining the libraries and providing better library services. Its high time libraries should become self-dependent rather than depending upon the funds provided by the parental organization. The funds that the parental organization allocates are minimal and do not cover every area pertaining to the library. Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to conceptualize the transformation of libraries into profit-making organizations to provide improved library services. Results: To make libraries a profit-making organization, librarians should go unconventional by making some amends in the library policy like charging money in exchange for some services which were earlier not provided by the libraries, i.e. (1) Rental of equipment: Renting the items like Computers, CD/DVDs, Cassette, among others, can provide some rents. (2) Advertisement: Libraries can charge advertisement costs by promoting books written by authors. (3) Selling the weeding out items. (4) Translation. (5) Reproduction Cost. (6) Service charge on-demand services. (7) Inter-Library Services. (8). Membership Schemes. (9) Book Reservation. (10) Training. The charges incurred from the above services are implemented to make the library a better place by providing better resources and better services. Conclusion: Libraries are meant to be non-profit organizations and must provide services free of cost to the patrons, but the library's primary goal is also to keep the users' satisfaction into consideration. To keep the users satisfied, libraries must keep implementing new policies and procedures to keep them going head on head with time.
Keywords
Library Services; Library Resources; Library Funds
Hrčak ID:
271739
URI
Publication date:
1.2.2022.
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