How Many Dimensions Does It Take to Measure Users' Perceptions of Libraries?: A LibQUAL+Study

The present study is one in a series analyzing the results of a large- scale web-based survey of library service quality at several ARL member institutions. The current study explores the question: what are the fewest dimensions required to measure users' perceptions of library service quality? Understanding the number and hierarchy of dimensions that users employ in evaluating library services is important, because we want to use scoring dimensions that correspond with users' perceptions rather than our own preconceptions of what those perceptions might be. The study was conducted as part of the LibQUAL+ project, which is one of the ARL "New Measures" initiatives. Results for data provided by 3987 participants from eleven ARL institutions were consistent with a view that a single set of scores is one reasonable way to characterize user perceptions of library service quality.