Good question!
As an adult services reference librarian at a public library (actually a
small branch of a public library), I end up doing a lot of on the spot
teaching and training on using our OPAC. I don't know if we have anything in
writing about doing this training, but it is expected that we'll both look
up items in the catalog for patrons and show them how to look up items in
our OPAC.
Here are some anecdotes about that:
1) When I suggested we include classes on using our OPAC as part of our
computer instruction classes, most of my more experienced coworkers told
me--the newbie--that history has shown most patrons won't sign up for such a
course and will really only sit through 10 minutes of OPAC training at the
most (but probably much less).
2) Most patrons new to our library (the adults, at least) are surprised that
we only have an OPAC ("I miss the old card catalog," they sigh) and that
it's the same online catalog you can access from any web-connected computer
in the world.
3) Patrons new to our system frequently need assistance in locating items in
our catalog, especially if it involves anything beyond a basic title or
author search, but the assistance is usually only for small problems which
are easily solved.
Now, personally, I don't much mind showing people how to use our OPAC, but I
think it's stupid that we should have to show as many people as we do how to
use it--it should be easier for them to use. As far as the whole Online
Public Access Catalog in general goes...I have a whole bunch of thoughts on
that, which I won't go into right now.
--Joshua M. Neff
Indian Creek Branch
Olathe Public Library
_____
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
[mailto:NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Steven Carr
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 9:26 AM
To: NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu
Subject: [NGC4LIB] Thanks Karen
I think Karen has really captured the essence of what's been said so
far...Thank you!
I also have a question:
For public libraries: Do any of you have a mission/plan/interest in
"teaching" the catalog or searching to customers any more? Or do you do
this more in terms of finding what you want on the net?
For academic libraries: Is this teaching function still part of your
mission as well? What are you teaching?
Looking forward to hearing more about this.
Steven L. Carr
Bibliographic Services Manager
ARLINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY
1015 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22201
703-228-5972
scarr2_at_arlingtonva.us
Received on Wed Jun 14 2006 - 17:03:06 EDT