Search results

The purpose of this paper is to consider and discuss some data about the evolution of Italian Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs) in the last decade and the possibility to search them cumulatively through the MetaOPAC Azalai Italiano (MAI). Scholars all over the world are interested in Italian OPACs due to the treasures and the historical documents owned by Italian libraries.

After a brief introduction on union and virtual catalogues, with special attention to the Italian scenario, Italian OPACs are illustrated with a rich amount of data about their usage, their geographical distribution, and their growth. All data are available on the web and have been collected in the time through the analysis of log files and the database of the Italian OPACs.

The evolution of Italian OPACs suggests new developments of MAI, such as extension of search to some contents of digital libraries. These are studied and, as far as allowed by the available human resources, progressively adopted in order to improve the quality of the metasearch.

As this tool has no exact parallels in other countries, this paper mainly adopts a descriptive and heuristic approach, rather than evaluating MAI in comparison with other services.

Although a wide amount of literature on MAI is available, only a few papers are in English. This paper then aims to increase the knowledge of MAI for a broadest group of non‐Italian readers.

In September, 1982, a graduate seminar was held for the first time at Syracuse University on Online Public Access Catalogs (OPACs). The focus was on aspects of OPAC design, the impact of OPACs on staff and users, and comparative analysis of their features and functions. Of the 15 people enrolled, eight were academic librarians representing four different institutions; one was a public librarian, one a special librarian; and five were MLS students enrolled at Syracuse.

The objective of this study is to establish the opinion of users with respect to the awareness and utilisation of, as well as their satisfaction level with, the use of the online public access catalogue (OPAC).

The paper deals with the applicability and utility of OPACs in five libraries in New Delhi, namely the Indian Institute of Technology; Jawaharlal Nehru University Library; Dr Zakir Husain Library, Jamia Millia Islamia; National Information System for Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR); and the Defence Science Information and Documentation Centre (DESIDOC). A questionnaire was developed and distributed randomly to 128 users including undergraduates and post graduate students as well as MPhil. and PhD scholars. Users returned 115 completed questionnaires of which 100 were selected for analysis.

The paper finds that the OPAC system has changed the traditional concept of access to library resources. It allows simple as well as complex searches. Document access is still one of the most important approaches of users to visit the library, and a study of the effectiveness of an OPAC is useful in this respect. Regarding results, sometimes users face problems of recall and precision. However, in some searches users are not able to find relevant documents on account of various factors. Data show that a high percentage of respondents are utilising the OPAC as a search tool for retrieving documents. Also, most of the users handle the OPAC themselves. Significantly, the satisfaction level of users was high with the OPAC facilities. Nevertheless, not many users are aware of the expert searches provided by OPAC.

The paper focuses on many aspects of OPACs, particularly those in India. Librarians, especially those from developing nations, may choose their library automation software packages keeping in view the user's expectation with respect to OPACs.

To examine whether placing URLs into library OPACs has been an effective way of enhancing the role of the catalogue for the contemporary library user.

A brief review of the literature combined with an analysis of publicly available statistics for library use in the USA and the UK.

That certain ways of placing URLs into the OPAC are loosely associated with a successful library environment, i.e. with constant or increasing levels of stock circulation and OPAC use, while other forms of hyper‐linking OPAC records are loosely associated with declining levels of library use.

The loose association between different OPAC management practices and apparent statistical trends of library use could be investigated in greater depth by further subsequent research, but along the lines and methodology suggested herein.

Firm suggestions on how to place and manage URLs in the online catalogue are made.

This paper takes certain catalogue enhancement practices which are identified with the US library environment and investigates them in a UK, and specifically Scottish context, to shed light on the original US ideas behind these practices.

The aim of this paper is to empirically examine the usability of the Koha OPAC from a user perspective.

A series of usability tests with Koha were carried out at a private university in Bangladesh. Both experienced and novice users participated in these tests. Experienced users participated only once, whereas novices took part in three successive sessions. At first, novices’ initial performance was recorded. Then, they performed the same tasks after a short training tutorial. Novices again participated in the retention experiment with the same tasks after four weeks. A set of seven tasks was given to the users to see their performance in terms of time taken, number of errors made and success scores. Performance data were captured through a computer screen recording software, and satisfaction scores were obtained using a modified version of Questionnaire on User Interface Satisfaction (QUIS). Comparisons of performance and satisfaction with Koha OPAC were made between experienced users and novices’ initial, learning and retention experiments and amongst novices’ three test sessions.

The results showed significant performance difference between experienced and novices’ initial session. Novices could easily pick up the functionality of Koha OPAC when a brief training was provided. The comparative analysis of performance between experienced users and novices’ learning showed no significant difference between these sessions. There was a significant difference between experienced and novices’ retention in terms of success scores. The comparison amongst novices’ initial, learning and retention sessions showed significant performance differences in time taken and errors made. The QUIS results also showed significant differences in subjective satisfaction for several items between experienced users and naïve sessions, and for one item amongst novices’ three experiments.

This is a pioneering study of the task-based usability of Koha OPAC. The findings from this study will encourage researchers to empirically examine the usability of other open-source ILSs, which might result in improved user performance and satisfaction with these systems.

The purpose of the present study is to take an overview of the use of computers, internet, computer skills and information searching behaviour on the web as well as the OPAC in a university setting among students at the postgraduate level from rural and urban backgrounds in a comparative analogue.

This survey‐based study utilized the questionnaire as its major data collection instrument. However, the interview method and general observations were also used, whenever required, to supplement the data and make the information more explicit. The data, thus collected, were analysed with the aid of SPSS statistical software. The Chi‐square test was also performed to identify significant comparability among urban and rural background students.

The study revealed that most postgraduates (95.5 per cent) belonging to rural areas were computer literate. Further, most of them had accessed the web for communication purposes and for locating general and academic information. The results showed no significant differences between rural and urban students for the use of computer and internet, usage patterns of OPAC like search engines and the ease of OPAC use and their expectations from OPAC. The only significant differences found among both groups were for their reactions during unsuccessful searches. Thus, the background of users at the postgraduate level does not significantly affect the use of computer and internet, information searching behaviour patterns on the web and library systems, especially OPAC.

This is a pioneering work to examine whether postgraduates from differing backgrounds searched for information required by them differently through varying information channels for academic purposes in a university library system in India.

This paper aims to describe the process of development undertaken by the State Library of Tasmania to provide a new generation OPAC – TALISPlus.

The methods developed and used to meet the “getting” needs of clients in the new OPAC are described, with examples based on the alternatives investigated and the results achieved.

During this development process the State Library established, through client consultation and feedback, that the process of item discovery within the new OPAC was incomplete unless accompanied by new methods that ensured that the desired item could in turn be easily found and physically accessed by clients. The need to address both the finding and getting requirements of clients is of major importance to the State Library of Tasmania which provides a state‐wide public lending system with one collection spread across 49 branches.

The paper argues that the development of a successful next generation OPAC is not limited to the provision of new searching functionality. Rather the success of a new OPAC is linked to its ability to provide existing clients with a seamless tool that delivers the ability to both find and get the desired item. The provision of this seamless access will require additional and significant development resources. However, the high levels of client satisfaction with the new OPAC witnessed by the State Library reinforce and validate this approach.

The main aim of this paper is to assess Dhaka University students' perceptions of ease‐of‐use and their satisfaction with University Library's online public access catalogue (DUL OPAC).

A survey questionnaire was developed and used to collect data on students' demographics, online catalogue use and their perceptions of ease‐of‐use and satisfaction with OPAC. In order to analyze the influence of students' demographic and individual characteristics on their perceptions and satisfaction, Mann‐Whitney and Kruskal‐Wallis tests were carried out.

The results showed that students are overwhelmingly satisfied with the DUL OPAC. Although there are some differences in students' perceptions of and satisfaction with the university OPAC, a formal task‐based usability testing and adopting a user‐centered design can ensure the usability of the OPAC in the future. The paper suggested some heuristic guidelines for designing interfaces for online catalogues.

This is the first time an effort has been made to assess students' perceptions of and satisfaction with a library OPAC in Bangladesh. The authors feel this study may encourage more such research on usability evaluation of OPACs in Bangladesh and beyond.

Discusses the development of online public access catalogues (OPACs) from their beginnings to recently available systems. Describes research underpinning OPAC design. Considers user requirements and interfaces in more detail and also search software and database design.

Describes the results of a research survey conducted at the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Madras, Chennai, India which examines features provided in online public access catalogues (OPACs) in Tamil Nadu. OPACs are recent developments in libraries in India in general and Tamil Nadu in particular. A review of the literature reveals that only a few studies on OPACs in India have been conducted and there is no comprehensive study about the OPACs in Tamil Nadu. A sample of 50 libraries in Tamil Nadu were selected at random, out of which 36 responded. The analysis of the data represents the state‐of‐the‐art of the libraries in the summer of 2002. The major findings of the survey reveal emerging trends in OPAC.