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Title

Accessing the collection of a large public library: an analysis of OPAC use

Author(s)

Waller, Vivienne

Abstract

Despite widespread use of Internet search engines, the online catalogue is still the main pathway to the collection of a particular library. The use of Internet search engines does, however, have implications for user expectations around the online catalogue, and search strategies when using the online catalogue. There is much research on online catalogue use that predates search engine use, and there is a need for more up-to-date research, particularly on the use of online catalogues in public libraries. This paper reports on an analysis of transaction logs of end users of the online catalogue of a large public library in Australia, the State Library of Victoria. It compares searches over four years, taking into account the search settings and search strategies and looking at search success, including the reasons for search failure. The paper also introduces the concept of abandonment rates to online catalogue search, defining a metric that adds to the useful information that can be determined from transaction logs. The paper uses the findings as the basis for its concluding recommendations for how public library users can be assisted to find what they are looking for on the library catalogue.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. Institute for Social Research

Source

LIBRES: Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal, Vol. 20, no. 1 (Mar 2010)

Publication year

2010

FOR Code(s)

0807 Library and Information Studies

Keyword(s)

Information behaviour;  Library catalogues;  Library users;  Online public access catalogues;  OPACs;  Public libraries;  Search behaviour;  State Library of Victoria

Publisher

Department of Information Studies, Curtin University of Technology

ISSN

1058-6768

Publisher URL

http://libres.curtin.edu.au/libres20n1/index.cfm

Copyright

Copyright © 2010 Vivienne Waller. This article appeared first as: Waller, V. (2010). Accessing the collection of a large public library: an analysis of OPAC use. LIBRES, 20(1). The published version of the paper is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.

Research Projects

The Searchers Project, Australian Research Council grant number LP0775215

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