Online catalogs affect library instruction in a positive way.  Comparison of features in each online catalog supplied by the current vendors is discussed

Turnage, Marthea J

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Stephen F. Austin State UniversitySFA ScholarWorksLibrary Faculty and Staff Publications Ralph W. Steen LibraryWinter 1985Online Catalogs and User EducationMarthea J. TurnageStephen F Austin State University, mturnage@sfasu.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/libfacpubPart of the Library and Information Science CommonsTell us how this article helped you.This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Ralph W. Steen Library at SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in LibraryFaculty and Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact cdsscholarworks@sfasu.edu.Recommended CitationTurnage, M. (1985). "Online catalogs and user education." Texas Library Journal, Winter.USER EDUCATIONOnline catalogs present exciting op-portunites and challenges forbibliographic instruction librarians. Onlinecatalogs offer features which make themfar easier to use than a card catalog. Let'scompare and contrast these two forms ofcatalog in some detail.The most exciting feature of an onlinecatalog is that it is interactive. As users keyin search terms, the computer respondswith a screen display. If users select termsnot in the program, the computer suggestsrelated terms to build into the search argu-ment. As users continue their search, theonline catalog prompts them with mean-ingful instructions for continuation. Thisinteraction between the online catalog andusers is the beginning of a far-reaching ef-fect on library usage. As users are "re-warded" by the computer with successfulsearches, they develop a feeling of ac-complishment and satisfaction which canhave a positive effect on library usage ingeneral.By contrast, the card catalog is passiveand consequently difficult to use. For ex-ample, in a subject search, users generallytry the most common term unsuccessful-ly because they have failed to use the cor-rect subject heading. They may travel fran-tically from rne end of the card catalo~ toanother in pursuit of the correct subJe~~heading. Even if "See" and "See Alsoreferences are used for complicated sub-. tSject searches, not all possible access polOcan be identified.Users apparently agree with these =:elusions on the relative merits of the onlinecatalog. According to a study sponsored bythe Council on Library Resources, evenof the library who are not familiarus.e~the card catalog think that it would\\'I~ take thirty minutes to learn theon y res of an online catalog and that nofeatU .' . Ual traimng ISnecessary to use It. sersform1 ositive toward an online catalog andfee Prefer it.'i P To understand better the potential of theline catalog to users, let's look at someon "'d ds ecific systems enjoying WI esprea use.$e will see that each system offers thebenefits noted above but approaches therobJem in a slightly different way.p AUS II, produced by Dataphase, offersPAC(public access catalog) with a varietyoffeatures. Help screens that contain com-plete instructions for using different func-tions are available. PAC performs thefollowing functions: author search, titlesearch, combined author/title search, com-bined author/author search, subject search,Boolean subject search, call numbersearch, and vendor number search. Anyone of these functions can be entered fromany point in PAC. PAC does not offer truekeyword indexing. Bibliographic informa-tion appearing on the item status screen in-cludes author, title, publisher, date ofpublication, and total library copies. Forindividual items, the user can view thelocation, status, date, media type, and thecall number/volumes.NOTIS, Northwestern Online Total In-tegrated System (Northwestern Universi-ty Library), developed a PAC called LUIS(Library User Information System). LUISoffers help screens to support each typeof display. LUIS performs the followingfunctions: author search, title search, sub-ject search, and search term truncation.Boolean searching is not offered.Bibliographic displays are in catalog cardformat. Multilevel displays (guide terms,brief index entries, full bibliographic data)are also available. Under development arecross references and call number indexcapabilities.OCLC local systems, LS/2000, providesthe fOllowing features: prompts and help~creens are available with easy-to-followInStructions. True keyword access allowsPatrons to search fields using their ownterms. Boolean "and" may be performedon search results within any single indexor between pairs of indexes. Searches maybe restricted to specific library locationsor collections. Searching functions includeauthor, title, subject, keyword in title, ti-tle key (3,2,2,1 title key), author/title key(4,4 author/title key), call number, LC cardnumber, ISSN/ISBN, and OCLC number.GEAC Computers International provideshelp screens at any step in the search. Thesearch functions include combinedauthor/title search, author search,keyword search by author, subject and ti-tle, call number search, government docu-ment number search, ISBN, ISSN, ISRN,LCN, subject search, and title only search.As might be evident from the briefreview of the online catalog systems, stan-dards for formatting displays within themvary. Bibliographic instruction librariansare thus challenged to train users to uni-que systems. By contrast, the format forinformation on a catalog card is standar-dized by the Library of Congress. The cardsare of uniform size. Users are accustomedto finding subject and added entryheadings at the top of the card.After bibliographic instruction librarianslearn the limitations and capabilities oftheir online system, they are ready to helptheir users. Of course, the users' ex-periences in the library or on the onlinecatalog vary. This must be taken into con-sideration in bibliographic instruction pro-gram design. Identified for the purpose ofdeveloping online catalog bibliographic in-struction programs, categories of users in-clude non-online catalog users or first timelibrary users, computer buffs, frequentonline catalog users, and the reluctantonline catalog users.Non-online catalog users or first timelibrary users are one of the largest categoryof users. These users may have usedanother library at some time in the past.Consequently, they mayor may notunderstand the conceptual framework ofthe card catalog. They may be intimidatedby an online catalog. Often they prefer ex-perimenting with the online catalog alone.Some first time users confide in thelibrarian about their lack of knowledge andask for help.Computer buffs are characterized by be-(continued on page 128)USER EDUCAnON(continued from page 113)ing computer literate. However, they havepreconceived ideas about how the onlinecatalog program should work. They areconfident that they can sit down and begina search process without consideration forthe unique operation of an online catalogprogram. Generally, their experienceswith computer terminals and menu drivenprograms guide them to the integratedhelp screens in the online catalog.Frequent online catalog users are ex-perienced in using the library. They arefamiliar with the basics of the uniqueonline catalog program and have a goodattitude toward the online catalog.However, they can be the biggest detrac-tor if any changes or enhancements to theprogram are made. They have investedtime in mastering the operations of theonline catalog. Anticipate their responseand make the transition easier for them bybringing them up to date with the changesto the program through a handout with acomparison of the old and the new pro-grams. These individuals also enjoy in-dividualized instruction from the librarian.The last category is the reluctant onlinecatalog users who are frequent users of thelibrary. They dislike computers and changein general. They are familiar with the cardcatalog, but they admit that they hatemachines. They are quick to say, "I don'tknow anything about computers." To helpthem adjust to the transition from a cardcatalog to an online catalog, a large groupinstruction session for first time users canbe planned. In individual instruction withthe non-online catalog users, librarians canassure them that they will not damage thecomputer or erase information. Hands-onexperience is comforting for this lastcategory of user.Because of the variety of users, differentmethods of online catalog instructions areused. The following methods of onlinecatalog instruction have proven successfulwith a variety of users:1. Compare location of informationfrom card catalog to online catalog,2. Cluster terminals,3. Prepare printed materials,4. Integrate help screens into the onlinecatalog program.Let's look at these in more detail.1. Comparing the location of informa_tion from a card in the card catalog to adisplay in the online catalog is a methodof instruction. Users have a tendency touse the same library skills they have beenusing rather than to invest in learning newones (Einstellung Effect)." Therefore, thebibliographic instruction librarian couldcompare the online catalog to the cardcatalog in basic ways. The choice of sear-ching by author, title, or subject still ex-ists. If users have experience using the cardcatalog, bibliographic instruction librarianscan compare the position of call numbersand other types of information located onthe card in the card catalog with the loca-tion of the same information in the onlinecatalog displays. However, comparisons ofthis type should be simple and not com-plicated to the extent of explaining dif-ferences in types of subject headings andthe searching thereof in the card catalogand then in the online catalog.2. Clustering terminals in the librarymakes instruction for large classes orgroups easier based on experience atStephen F. Austin State University Library.Librarians can group five people aroundone terminal for instruction. These peoplecan stand three feet away and still view theterminal screen comfortably. If six ter-minals are clustered together, a librariancould instruct thirty people at one time.3. Printed materials, which are prob-lem/task oriented to take home or to nearthe terminals, help users by addressing themechanics of conducting a searchsystematically. J Users appreciate printedinstructions they can use at the terminalas they work alone. .4. Help screens built into onhnecatalog programs are most successful. Notethat each online catalog program mention-ed previously included help screens. HeIpscreens offer information on how to searchthe system, on definitions of terms, and onexplanations of the system. Users canusually access help screens during anypoint of their search.These methods have been used suc-1?s:lessfully at a number of libraries. At~ankato St~t~ Univers~ty, online cat~log·nstruction IS included 10 freshman orien-:atiOn, workshops, and terminaldemonstrations the first two weeks of eachquarter. Printed handouts an~ a brochureare available next to the terminals. An ad-vanced workshop is available to coverBoolean searching and the saving ofBoolean search information.Pikes Peak Public Library uses avideotaped show "Maggie's Place, Pike'sPeak Library System." Staff is limited at thelibrary so a corps of volunteers is used toexplain the system. Brochures are alsoavailable.4University of California, Berkeley has aself-help manual kept at the referencedesk. A one-page summary of the opera-tion is kept at each terminal. Instructionfor the online catalog is offered in a for-credit course, " Bibliography I", in facul-ty seminars, and in classroom workshops.Other workshops offering hands-on ex-perience are given twice a week.Steen Library, Stephen F. Austin StateUniversity offers online catalog instructionworkshops at the beginning of every fallsemester. Instructions for searching byauthor, title, and subject are attached tothe online catalog terminal. A guide, "Ter-minal Tidbits," is located near each ter-minal. Online catalog instruction is in-tegrated into the Freshman English pro-gram every spring semester. Instructionsfor the online catalog are also included inclass library orientation sessions. In-tdividual instruction is always availablefrom the librarians at the reference desk.Despite all of the different types ofonline catalog users and online catalogsystems, bibliographic instructionlibrarians can use certain methods of in-struction to meet their users' needs. Theonline catalog system creates an interac-tivity between users and the online catalogthat does not exist with the card catalog.As users work with online catalog featuressuch as key word indexing and Booleansubject searching, they discover that ac-cessing information is easier. Thechallenge for bibliographic instructionlibrarians is to teach users to exploit effec-tively and to manipulate their uniqueonline catalog.-M. T.Sources:1. Matthews, Joseph, ed. Using OnlineCatalogs: A Nationwide Survey. N. Y.:Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1983. p. 100.2. Borgman, Christine. "Psychological Factorsin Online Catalog Use, or Why Users Fail."Training Users of Online Public AccessCatalogs. Washington, D. C;. Council onLibraries Resources, ERIC ED 235 832, July,1983, p. 23.3. Ferguson, Douglas. "Nationwide ComputerCatalog Study: Training Issues." In Train-ing Usersof Online Public AccessCatalogs,ERIC ED 235 832, July, 1983, p. 11.4. McClintock, Marsha, ed. "Description ofCurrent Online Catalog User Training Pro-grams." In Training Usersof Online PublicAccess Catalogs, ERIC ED 235 832, July,1983, p.35.

Online Catalogs and User Education

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