Methodology of analysis and interrelation of data about quality indexes of library services by using data- and knowledge- mining techniques

Abstract

Purpose - This paper aims to describe a data analysis methodology using data- and knowledge-mining techniques focused on libraries. It concerns data analysis techniques in general, as well as ways in which they could be applied to library management. The ultimate purpose of this data process is to make the exported information useful to decision makers, so as to help them with decision making and strategy planning. This will lead to a more efficient organisation of the internal processing, and to improvement of the services offered in a library. Design-methodology-approach - Methodologies based on knowledge and data mining are used to analyse the real data in one specific case study library (Library of Technical University of Crete, Greece) in order to describe the concept better. The results obtained concern the extraction of information about the inter-relations of data and the definition of factors that can be used in library management and strategic planning. The scope of the paper is to show how data coming from libraries can be analysed to give useful results for decision-makers, in order to improve the services they offer. Findings - The paper provides a detailed list of all existing data resources in a library and describes step-by-step an analysis methodology based on processes of knowledge discovery and mining from given data. It refers to general principles that should be used for choosing the data to be processed and for defining the way the data should be combined and connected. Research limitations-implications - The research reported in this paper can be extended to define other new indicators regarding the quality of services offered to libraries by using a greater amount of data for analysis. Practical implications - Changes should be made in the way of choosing data for analysis. The way of choosing data here is based on a methodology according to knowledge and data-mining principles. A definition of new indicators about the quality of services in libraries should be derived from this methodology. Originality-value - The new thinking in the paper is in the way librarians and decision-makers in libraries have to use data. The paper shows a way of choosing data that will be able to produce useful conclusions after a well-described analysis. The paper will be useful for librarians and library managers who want to plan strategies for improving the services they offer.