Quality assurance and quality management issues in libraries of Hungary

Abstract

The quality view has become a decisive factor in the development of the world. Three quality directions have evolved in the three most important economic focal regions of the world, Japan, USA and Europe. Interpretation of quality assurance and management in libraries has become a special function with little or no experiences woridwide. The author presents the Total Quality Management system of the British Library, and the quality management system of the Technical Library of the Delft Universrty based on the ISO 9002. In Hungary, since 1992, several measures and actions have been introduced with the result of the establishment of legal, institutional and incentive conditions for quality management. The author presents the introductory and certification process of the quality assurance system according to ISO 9002 in Hungarian libraries. through the example of a major library and information organization, the National Technical Information Centre and Library (OMIKK). A short description of the TQM based system of the Katona József Library of Kecskemét is also given.