Studying the role of quality of services in students trust toward Library: (the case of Central Library and Documents Center of University of Tehran)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate professor, Department of information science and knowledge studies, University of Tehran

2 MLIS, University of Tehran

Abstract

Objective: Libraries and information centers of universities have an essential role in meeting informational needs of students. Therefore, their services’ quality is also effective in students’ trust. In the current research, the quality of services provided by central library of University of Tehran and its impact on students’ trust toward this library (i.e. institutional trust) has been studied.
Methodology: the method used for this research was a survey, using a structured questionnaire distributed among students of Tehran University. The sample consisted of 437 students who were selected using relative stratified sampling method.
Findings: The findings of this research show that independent variables (including quality of services, satisfaction, evaluation of Services effectiveness, and expectations of service) have a significant relationship with the dependent variable (i.e. institutional trust), while two variables of satisfaction and quality of services have the strongest relationship with dependent variable. The results of regression analysis depicts that independent variables entered in regression equation predicts %54 of dependent variable (i.e. institutional trust) variance.
Originality/ value: This research is the first research conducted on the role of quality of services provided by academic libraries in students' institutional trust. Evaluation of students’ trust toward libraries and the effective factors such as quality of service plays a very important role in the improving libraries activities.

Keywords