Quality Management Systems - the easy way!

In January 2007 Bayside Library Service began the process of setting up a quality management system for our policies and procedures. For some time (5 years) we had been discussing the need to revise our manuals but as it was such a daunting task we kept procrastinating.

In mid 2006 a new Community Manager encouraged us to consider setting up Quality Management Systems and after a lot of online research and visiting another library which was operating an ISO standard QMS process we embarked on the journey.

The hardest part was deciding what to do first. A Management Team forum was held, a QMS team put together and a 2 year action plan developed. We were on our way!.

We decided not to go with the ISO standard as we didn't want to be too bogged down in bureaucracy. But rather we developed our own process.

This has been in operation for over a year now and we believe is working extremely well and has meant that all policies and procedures are reviewed on a regular scheduled basis. All staff are involved in the process at some stage which adds to the success of the project. It also means we have consistency of policy and procedure across the four branches which is great for the staff and fantastic for the customer.