Usage study of online public access catalogue (OPAC) at South Eastern University of Sri Lanka

Abstract

OPAC is higher standard web based information searching tools and it has been used at the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka since 2013. This study aims to find out the user awareness on OPAC with its frequency of use and the highly used search term in OPAC. Also aims to propose suggestion in order to enhance the usage of OPAC. A questionnaire survey method used with stratified random sampling technique to conduct the study.200 questionnaires were used among undergraduates of FAC, FIA, FMC and FE and with 84% response rate the results were analyzed. 10% of undergraduates did not have any idea about OPAC. However, all the undergraduates of FE aware and understand about OPAC. Around 60% of Undergraduates use OPAC to retrieve the information while the rest 40% never use OPAC. The usage frequency of OPAC showed in variation. A significant nine percent of Undergraduates use OPAC frequently to fulfill their needs. This is the point where need to promote the other undergraduate to use OPAC in such manner. More than one third of the Undergraduate use OPAC at library premises only while the 25% use OPAC anywhere. Mostly the OPAC is being used to search and locate the material in the library. However, a considerable number of Undergraduates also use OPAC to find out issued/ non-issued items, number of copies, reserve, renew the materials and their own OPAC account details. Title, author and keyword are mostly used access point in OPAC. The Undergraduates need to be given awareness and training on OPAC.