Catalog Users Research Articles

The exact-display approach for online catalog subject searching

When public catalog users enter queries that exactly match the catalog's controlled vocabulary, online systems should respond with browsing lists of alphabetically arranged subject headings, because such displays guide users to retrievals based on the assignment of the matched subject headings to bibliographic records. Unfortunately, studies of online catalog searching demonstrate that alphabetical displays are no longer capable of managing large numbers of subdivided forms of subject headings, because searchers exhibit low levels of perseverance when faced with large numbers of retrievals. This paper introduces a new approach to displaying retrieved subject headings in subject searching—the exact-display approach—designed to encourage users to browse bibliographic information. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance of the exact-display approach by showing how many user queries would be candidates for this approach, demonstrate an implementation of the exact-display approach in an experimental online catalog, and feature end-user experiences with this approach as implemented in the experimental catalog. End-user experiences gave the authors the opportunity to make several recommendations for enhancing the original design of the exact-display approach so that future implementations of this approach in operational online catalogs are responsive to the needs of online catalog users.

Online Library Catalogs: Age-Related Differences in Query Construction and Error Recovery

Online library catalogs have become pervasive in today's library. Unfortunately, these systems have been developed by computer programmers or librarians with little analysis of user behavior on the system. The present study compared the search performance of younger and older adults with general computer experience who were novice online catalog users on a set of ten search tasks of varying difficulty. This study examined types of errors made by novice users in database query construction and subsequent error recovery. Younger adults achieved a higher overall success rate than did older adults and were more efficient in performing these searches. Older adults made more query construction errors and recovered from them less efficiently than did younger adults. These data have important implications for identifying the specific needs, limitations, and capabilities of online library catalog users and the design of online library catalog systems for adults of differing ages.

User Attitudes and Behavior Before and After the Implementation of an On-line Catalog

This article discusses the results of a study completed before and after an on-line catalog was introduced in the Central Library of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). After introducing an on-line catalog in a library, it has been observed that user attitudes and behavior change. Thus, the main objective of this study was to identify changes in user attitudes and behavior when dealing with a newly implemented on-line catalog. The data were obtained using a survey among library and catalog users. The results indicated that some changes in user perceptions and behavior were associated with the introduction of an on-line catalog. However, the extent of this association was weak which indicated the existence of other variables having influence on these changes.

From Access Points to Materials: A Transaction Log Analysis of Access Point Value for Online Catalog Users

It is possible to obtain some insights into searchers’ judgments by using transaction log analysis to associate online catalog search methods with decisions to retrieve location information, The Mainframe Interface to Libraries Online (MILO) is cm interface to the Illinois Library Computer Systems Office online union catalog for 45 academic libraries. MILO provides access to a bibliographic database and directly links to another database with circulation and location records. Because the latter database only provides location and circulation Status, searchers’ decisions to make links to such data are seen as an indication that the records being linked represent potentially useful material, Via a transaction log analysis, the linked location records were associated with the access points used to retrieve them in order to analyze the value and problems of searchers’ uses of specific access points. Transaction logs were analyzed for a 38-day sample of the 1994 logs. Counting records retrieved through the use of multiple access points (making the total greater than 100%), subject fields were used to access over 30%, author fields to access over 19%, and title fields to access over 51 % of all records linked to location information. Other fields were used to retrieve very small percentages of linked records.

Professional men and women segments: Clothing catalog usage

The use of catalogs for purchasing clothing for a nationwide sample of professional men ( n = 294) and professional women ( n = 240) was examined in this study. Clothing items purchased from catalogs were categorized into four groups, which were defined by intended use. Items composing clothing groups differed for professional men and women. Heavy purchasers of each of the four clothing groups were predicted in terms of demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and benefits sought. Different predictors of catalog users for each clothing group were evident for professional men and women. The results indicate that catalog users should be segmented separately for professional men and women, and that market strategies should be implemented by clothing groups.

Professional women's catalogue usage: its relationships with involvement, lifestyle and demographic characteristics

Catalogue sales have received increasing attention due to their phenomenal growth in the USA. Professional women, because of their need for convenience and their buying power, are an important market for catalogue marketers. This study was designed to identify clothing categories which professional women tend to purchase through catalogues, compare professional women's involvement with professional clothing versus non‐professional clothing in relation to their catalogue usage and determine the variables that predict professional women's heavy catalogue usage for specific clothing categories. Data analyses were based on a mailed survey of a national sample of professional women catalogue shoppers (N=506). These consumers tended to purchase clothing in distinct categories rather than as one product class, and exhibited greater involvement with non‐professional clothing than with professional clothing. Profiles of frequent catalogue users for three clothing categories (street clothing, footwear and clothing for others) were identified, based on their involvement, lifestyle and demographic variables.

ANALYSES OF ARCHIVAL DATA FOR COOL DWARFS. VI. THE 1993 VERSIONS OF THE TEMPERATURE AND [FE/H] CATALOGS

ABSTRACT This paper contains supplements to two catalogs which have previously been published by the author. One of the supplements updates a catalog of temperatures for FGK dwarfs (see Taylor 1994b). The other supplement updates a catalog of averaged values of [Fe/H] for the same stars (see Taylor 1994d). The combined catalogs and supplements include values of [Fe/H] published through the end of 1993. Detailed instructions are given for catalog users, including an algorithm for adding data to the [Fe/H] catalog. For recent sources of [Fe/H] which require comment, discussions of issues such as data editing and zero-pint corrections are given. A review is also given of a problem described by Gray (1994), who finds that his spectroscopic temperatures and photometric temperatures from Paper II scatter more around their mean relation than one would expect from the contributing rms errors. It is found that near-Sun reddening (which is Gray's preferred solution of the problem) is not a defensible explanation for this scatter. For the moment, the real source of the scatter remains unknown.

An Investigation into Use and Instruction for an Online Catalog

This study was conducted in two phases. The first involved questioning catalog users at Emporia State about their experiences and their evaluation of NOTIS in order to assess how patrons felt about the catalog and how well they used it. The second portion of the study focused on the instruction offered by 59 randomly selected NOTIS libraries. Responses were solicited concerning the University or College, the library, and training methods for OPAC users. With the information gained through both parts, the library instruction program and information regarding NOTIS at White Library could be evaluated and modified.

The Role of the Name Main-Entry Heading in the Online Environment

The name main-entry heading has been a source of controversy throughout the history of Anglo-American cataloging with debate being closely tied to author identification. It is not surprising that debate has gained momentum as the functionality of online library catalogs and the costs of cataloging are under increasing close scrutiny. Following an historical overview of the name or author main-entry heading, this article discusses the finding and identifying functions of online catalogs as they relate to authorship. The article concludes that the name main-entry heading is an essential component of online catalog citation displays through which catalog users decide the usefulness of retrieved cataloging records.

In their own words: an examination of catalogue users' subject queries

As part of a recent research project a large set of catalogue users' subject queries was collected hy interview The libraries and the data collection procedures are briefly described. The query set obtained has been divided into several general categories which illustrate the range of types of subject search being performed. Each category of query is discussed, with a consideration of the problems which face the user in carrying out each type of search Possible solutions to some of these problems are considered The most important issue is the variation in specificity of the queries, whilst other issues relate to the users' expression of need. access to spe cific types of materials, interdisciplinary subjects, and map propriate queries. These issues are summarised and the impli cations for OPAC design are discussed.

The Pragmatic Basis of Catalog Codes

This article discusses the major catalog codes published in the United States and Great Britain since 1841. The main point made is that, although a number of the authors of these codes had the catalog user in mind when creating their codes, not one of the codes was significantly influenced by the findings of empirical investigations of user needs. The article concludes with the idea that authors of future codes should consider taking into account the research findings of catalog use studies when creating their codes.

The elderly mail-order catalog user of fashion products: A profile of the heavy purchaser

The purpose of the study was to develop a profile of heavy mail-order catalog users of fashion products among women 55 years and older in relation to shopping orientations, catalog shopping attributes, lifestyle activities, and demographics. A national random sample of 3,000 customers was obtained from two major catalog companies. From 1,192 consumers who returned the questionnaire, 872 respondents (73 percent) were 55 years or older and were included in the analysis. Based on the respondents’ annual expenditure on apparel and accessories via catalogs, heavy catalog users were classified as those who spent $ 1,000 or more ( n = 278), while light users were defined as those who spent less than $ 500 ( n = 370). Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that heavy catalog users of fashion products tended 1) to prefer shopping through catalogs over local stores; 2) to be less concerned with price; 3) to be fashion-conscious; 4) to have a greater income; 5) to participate frequently in social events; 6) to be time-conscious; 7) to be confident in clothing shopping; 8) to be interested in shopping in general; 9) to be a credit user; 10) to have an interest in fashion information and grooming products; 11) to take an active interest in cultural events; 12) to be satisfied with a variety of product selections offered by catalogs; and 13) to be satisfied with general size and fit of apparel products purchased through catalogs. Managerial implications for catalog retailers and apparel manufacturers are discussed.

Evaluation of advanced retrieval techniques in an experimental online catalog

Research on the use and users of online catalogs conducted in the early 1980s found that subject searches were the most common form of online catalog search. At the same time, many of the problems experienced by online catalog users have been traced to difficulties with the subject access mechanisms of the online catalog. A stream of research has concentrated on appplying retrieval techniques derived from information retrieval techniques derived from information retrieval (IR) research to replace the Boolean search methods of conventional online catalog systems. This study describes the results of retrieval tests using a variety of these search methods in the CHESHIRE experimental online catalog system.

Another view of older consumers and catalog shopping

This article presents the results of a study of older consumers in which catalog users were compared with catalog nonusers. Using a national sample of over 700 older men and women, catalog users and nonusers were compared on an array of psychographic, activity, and media-usage variables. Differences between catalog users and nonusers were evident in all three areas. Compared to catalog nonusers, catalog users were found to be more venturesome, more fashion-conscious, more open to change, and more socially engaged. In addition to these psychographic differences, a number of significant differences in the areas of lifestyle activities and media usage were found relative to potential advertising strategy. Finally, several interesting parallels between this study and previous studies of older consumers are discussed.

The decline of subject searching: Long-term trends and patterns of index use in an online catalog

Search index usage in a large university online catalog system over a six-year period (representing about 15.3 million searches) was investigated using transaction monitor data. Mathematical models of trends and patterns in the data were developed and tested using regression techniques. The results of the analyses show a consistent decline in the frequency of subject index use by online catalog users, with a corresponding increase in the frequency of title keyword searching. Significant annual patterns in index usage were also identified. Analysis of the transaction data, and related previous studies of online catalog users, suggest a number of factors contributing to the decline in subject search frequency. Chief among these factors are user difficulties in formulating subject queries with Library of Congress Subject Headings, leading to search failure, and the problem of “information overload” as database size increases. This article presents the models and results of the transaction log analysis, discusses the underlying problems with subject searching contributing to the observed decline, and reviews some proposed improvements to online catalog systems to aid in overcoming these problems. © 1991 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF AN ONLINE LIBRARY CATALOGUE ON SUBJECT SEARCHING BEHAVIOUR AT THE CATALOGUE AND T THE SHELVES

The second half of a ‘before and after’ study to evaluate the impact of an online catalogue on subject searching behaviour is reported. A holistic approach is adopted encompassing both catalogue use and browsing at the shelves for catalogue users and non‐users. Verbal and non‐verbal data were elicited from searchers using a combined methodology including talk‐aloud technique, observation and a screen logging facility. An extensive qualitative analysis was carried out correlating expressed topics, search formulation strategies and documents retrieved at the shelves. The online catalogue environment does not appear to have increased the extent of subject searching nor the use of the bibliographic tool. The manual precis index supported a contextual approach for broad and more interactive search formulations whereas the opac encouraged a matching approach and narrow formulations with fewer but user generated formulations. The success rate of the online catalogue was slightly better than that of the manual tools but fewer items were retrieved at the shelves. Non‐users of the bibliographic tools seemed to be just as successful. To improve retrieval effectiveness it is suggested that online catalogues should cater for both matching and contextual approaches to searching. Recent research indicates that a more interactive process could be promoted by providing query expansion through a combination of searching aids for matching, for search formulation assistance and for structured contextual retrieval.

What Is This Thing Called MARC(S)

Familiarity with the basic elements of the MARC format and their effect on the display and retrieval of bibliographic data is an essential element of public service in those libraries with MARC-based online catalogs. A MARC record consists of the leader, the directory, and the variable fields. The first two allow the system to store and retrieve the cataloging data. The variable fields begin with a three character numeric tag and are of two types: control fields and data fields. The former provide information about language and country of publication, presence of illustrations, publication status (active or ceased), physical medium (e.g., microfilm), and the like. The data fields include those designated for call number, main entry, title, physical description, series, notes, subjects, added entries, and local information. To successfully retrieve the information sought from an online catalog, the catalog user must know whether it is in an indexed field and, if so, must be familiar with the search strategies required by the system.

A Reference Librarian's View of the Online Subject Catalog

This paper suggests that the cataloging community may be setting its goals too low in its approach to online subject access. Truly effective subject retrieval for online catalog users will not be possible until the Library of Congress gives a higher priority to consistency in the assignment of subject headings. In recognition of the intellectual complexity of LCSH, the paper proposes the appointment of subject specialists to monitor the assignment of subject headings at the Library of Congress.

The University of Wyoming Catalog Survey

This document describes the University of Wyoming (UW) Libraries' Online Catalog and reports on a survey of UW Online Catalog users. The UW Online Catalog, developed by Brodart, was introduced to users in October, 1985. The survey, conducted in November, 1986, is an adaptation of the Council on Library Resources Online Catalog Study. It was designed to gauge how library patrons used the online catalog, what they thoug% of its features, and how they felt the catalog could be improved. Data from the UW survey is reported and compared to the data collected in the Council on Library Resources survey of users in 31 U.S. libraries in 1982. The results of the UW survey are consistent with national findings with a few exceptions. The authors are members of the University of Wyoming Libraries Online Catalog Implementation Committee and are public services/reference librarians.

Clothing Interest As An Indicator Of Catalog Use

Despite the growth of catalog shopping, there is little known about the identity of catalog shoppers. This study attempted to identify light and heavy catalog users according to clothing interest. The sample consisted of 93 female catalog shoppers for apparel from a southwestern state. A two‐way ANOVA was used to investigate differences with the individual clothing interest inventory scores and catalog use. Significant main effects were found for the individual clothing in terest inventory scores and catalog use (p < 0.01); however, the interaction be tween clothing interest and catalog use was not significant. Stepwise regression resulted in style and brand name as significant variables in predicting clothing interest. Results implied that research findings presently in the literature re garding clothing interest and the retail shopper were applicable to the catalog shopper.