ONLINE PUBLIC ACCESS CATALOGUE (OPAC) USAGE PATTERNS AMONG THE LIBRARY USERS OF ODISHA: A STUDY

This paper is aimed at presenting the results of a survey conducted to determine the usage patterns of OPAC among the library users of higher educational institutions in the state of Odisha. An attempt has been made here to assess usage pattern in terms of awareness, the frequency of use, the purpose of use, search pattern, success in locating items and problems faced while using OPAC. Total 380 questionnaires were selected for the study out of the 393 filled questionnaires received. The data received from the respondents is analyzed using simple percentage approach. The findings of the study revealed that OPAC usage rate is quite low among the library users of Odisha. However, the users who use OPAC most frequently conduct title and author searches. The majority of the respondents indicated that they were moderately successful in locating documents through OPAC. It is also found that most of the users are unaware of the all the facility available in the OPAC and encounter problem while searching. Some of the problems observed from the study includes:difficulty in query formation, maximum time search failure, no scope for spelling correction, inadequate instruction in the OPAC software, OPAC not functioning properly and lack of proper guidance from the library staff. Hence, the study suggested that improvement of OPAC functionality is the urgent need for the effective and proper utilization of OPAC.