The relevance and efficiency analysis of functioning the scientific technical library at industrial enterprises

Abstract

The article is devoted to consideration of the scientific technical library activity relevance and efficiency on the base of a large nuclear machine building company (JSC «Afrikantov OKBM»). The article objective is to determine the current level of the scientific technical library functioning, to assess compliance with stated mission, aims, objectives and best practices, as well as to identify problems, employees’ wishes and expectations for claimed issue and to define areas for further library development. The study was carried on by empirical methods through direct and indirect interviews and questionnaries of parties concerned. The results analysis was done using well-known scientific methods (grouping, classification, analysis, synthesis, etc.) based on process, complex functional and system approaches. The research showed that the library of the industrial company was in demand, and its quality, in general, met the consumers’ expectations, but there were certain problem areas that should be improved. The article examines general trends of libraries development in Russia and abroad, existing gaps, as well as scientific technical libraries features specific for industrial companies. The conclusions are based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of relevance and quality of the library activity on key characteristics (efficiency criteria) formulated in ISO 11620:1998 «Library performance indicators». The list of problem areas in terms of library work organizational and services provision is defined as a result. At the same time, the problem areas are considered as «development areas», which solution will increase the library activity demand and efficiency. The customers and stakeholders satisfaction will be grown by implementing scientific, technical and organizational measures.