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State of the OPAC

State of OPAC

Libraries have long been concerned with the usefulness of the interfaces through which patrons, students and researchers access the library catalog.

Over the years, several studies have been conducted on the usage of library OPACs (Online Public Access Catalogs) from both the librarian standpoint and user perspective. These studies have looked at the cost to implement and maintain library catalogs (including vendor costs, staffing, hardware, etc.), as well as the value of the user experience, and have drawn similar conclusions—the OPAC search experience is far from ideal, and is often criticized and antiquated.