Page 147 - DLIS007_LIBRARY AUTOMATION

Library Automation

Notes

Caselet Use of Online Public Access Catalogue at Annamalai
University Library

he first library online public access catalogue was introduced in the early 1980s and
researchers have been conducting usability studies of these catalogues ever since.
TIn designing our usability study, we incorporated what we felt to be some of the
best, most useful methods from previous research. However, our research is unique in
that it compares four different library OPACs (both academic and public) from a specific
geographic location, Seattle. In 1999, Chisman, Diller, and Walbridge conducted a usability
study of the Washington State University Library OPAC. The library was preparing to
implement a new version of the OPAC, and before it did so, wanted to test how usable the
new catalogue was, test whether or not people understood its features, and incorporate
participants’ feedback into the design of the new OPAC. Chisman, Diller, and Walbridge
found that most of the OPACs problems were related to subject indexes and article databases;
participants could not find and did not understand how to use these features.
In 2002, Halcoussis et al. conducted a usability study of California Institute of the Arts
Library OPAC to identify “causative factors determining catalogue user success in finding
information, user attitudes to catalogue organization, and user ability to navigate the
catalogue (p. 148).” These researchers had participants conduct four different kinds of
searches, took observation notes, and then had participants answer evaluative questions
about the catalogue. Halcoussis et al. discovered that subject-searchers are more likely to
run into difficulty while using the library catalogue and are therefore more likely to view
the catalogue in a negative way. Also, users who spend a lot of time on a search and
retrieve a large number of search results are also more likely to report having difficulty
using the OPAC.
In 2004, Novotny conducted a protocol analysis study to determine the usability of the
Pennsylvania State University Library OPAC. Participants were to complete five structured
tasks using the catalogue and were to tell observers exactly what they were thinking
while they completed each task. Researchers found that the use of internet search engines
has had a profound effect on the way that library patrons try to use and the expectations
that they have for library OPACs. Because library OPACs are not necessarily designed to
work in the same way as internet search engines, this created some problems for participants
and highlighted areas of the catalogue that could be modified to help users search more
effectively.
The interface of the OPAC of the Annamalai University was not optimal for serving user
needs, with apparent limitations in its design, a lack of screens for assistance, a deficient
system of searching by subject heading, and very limited search options. Users have many
kinds of problems performing subject searches in OPAC systems. Typical users do not
have the range of knowledge and skills needed for effective subject searching. With
developments in Internet and Web browser technologies, many of the proposed
improvements can be instituted without major changes to the OPAC back end system.
Changes can easily be made in the design of the web pages used as an interface to the
OPAC. OPAC interfaces are playing increasingly expanded roles. They now provide access
not just to records of books and journals held by a library but also to multiple library
systems, to full-text documents and journal articles, and to databases and other resources
on the Internet.
Contd...

142 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY