The assessment of the services offered in an information unit is a fundamental instrument for managing the quality of such services. This instrument may be developed by establishing standards, measurements and other indicators, which will lead the information units' managers or directors, in the maintenance or improvement of their services' quality. The objective of the present study is to assess the quality of services currently offered in the information units of the universities of Fortaleza (State of Ceará, Brazil) and to compare the degree of such quality to that desired by user. The study was carried out with a sample of 564 users who attended the five information units involved, during the period between March and November of the year 2003. In general terms, the results demonstrate that users had expected better quality of services, than that found in the services received in the observed units'.
assessment; service quality; information units; quality management