Prioritizing Library Service Quality in Higher Education: A combined Analysis using Analytic Hierarchy Process and Kano Model

Abstract

The study prioritizes and ranks the quality of university library services by examining user satisfaction. The combined application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Kano model assess library service attributes and students satisfaction. The data was collected from students of Malaysian university through a structured survey, which measured their perceptions and expectations of the physical environment, staff responsiveness, and the efficiency of library services. The AHP was used to evaluate the factors that determine service satisfaction and reveal that tangible factors and the service environment emerged as the most important factors. Subsequently, the Kano model was used to classify them as must-be, one-dimensional, and attractive factors to illustrate their impact on user satisfaction. The present study demonstrates that although essential services are not disregarded, an increasing number of students expect more personalized services that adapt to their needs. The study provides the valuable insights for universities and offer guidance to strategically prioritize library service quality to maintain the relevance and importance to libraries in higher education