Usage patterns in a Greek academic library catalogue: A follow‐up study

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on searches made by the patrons of the Library of the ATEI of Thessaloniki using its online catalogue during the spring semester of the academic year 2007/2008. A previous study had revealed that patrons experienced difficulties while searching the OPAC and did not make the most of the system's capabilities. As a result, the library re‐examined specific aspects of its services and its user education programnes, and updated its software. The present research was undertaken in order to assess the impact of these changes and to study whether the searching behaviour of its patrons has improved, or whether serious system limitations still persisted.

Design/methodology/approach

The data, collected from the transaction logs kept by the system's software, were processed and analysed statistically by using multivariate techniques.

Findings

The changes seem to have had a positive effect on patrons and their search attitude. Almost twice as many searches/sessions were carried out during the period of the present study compared with that of the previous one.

Research limitations/implications

The research is based on the analysis of data gathered from a single university library, but the techniques used can easily be transferred.

Practical implications

Not only were areas for improvement identified and implemented, but also the results highlighted the shift towards, and the need to support, research‐based education.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates simple techniques using transaction logging to identify areas for improvement in OPAC systems.

Citation

Malliari, A., Moreleli‐Cacouris, M. and Kapsalis, K. (2010), "Usage patterns in a Greek academic library catalogue: A follow‐up study", Performance Measurement and Metrics, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 47-55. https://doi.org/10.1108/14678041011026865