THE PIPS PROJECT AT ASTON: REVIEWING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PUBUC INFORMATION POINTS IN THE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES, ASTON UNIVERSITY Available to Purchase

During the academic session 1991/92, a project was carried out to review the strategic and operational management of the staffed public information points in the Library and Information Services at Aston University. Three main methods were used: an analysis of enquiries; a staff attitudes survey; and a customer survey. The main results which emerged were that staff perceived that there was no‐one with overall management responsibility for the service that an on‐going training programme for information point staff should be introduced; and that most customers were satisfied with the existing quality of service and approachability of the staff. Consequently, the Head of Information Services has assumed strategic and operational responsibility for the service; a rolling training programme for staff has been introduced; and a Quality Circle has been established to formulate a Customer Care Policy, and to produce recommendations for continuous improvement of the service.