The aim of this work was failure finding in public library system
using sensitivity analysis in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models.
Methodology: This applied survey is a single-stage research in terms of time.
The strategy applied was mathematical modeling based analysis strategy using DEA
technique. The data required were collected by using questionnaire and related
documents. The research sample included the public libraries of Yazd city that were
studied in 2008. After data collection, a proper mathematical model for evaluating
the libraries’ performance was developed and the data were analyzed using SPSS
and WINQSB software.
Findings: The results of data analysis using the researcher developed
mathematical model (consisting of 11 variables) showed that 11 libraries (%55 of
the whole libraries) had complete performance (equal to 1). In addition, the results
of rating of inputs and outputs using SAW technique showed that the staffs among
the input, and those members holding membership ID among the output were of the
highest importance in the libraries performance. It can be concluded that, in spite of
enjoying proper and enough infrastructural facilities, Yazd city public libraries could
not be rated as suitable in terms of attracting the users to make use of library
according to the number of books lent and use of public from the libraries.
Originality/Value: With regard to the growth and importance of organizations
in the society, evaluation of their performance has been in the core attention among
researchers. The present work is an attempt to evaluate the performance of Yazd
city’s public libraries using a quantitative method.