A study was conducted of the users of the Indiana University PROBE computer retrieval program using the Resources in Education ERIC data base. The critical incident survey identified the PROBE user characteristics, needs, and satisfaction. (Author)

Review of research on online public access catalogs sponsored by Council on Library Resources notes the scope and method (questionnaires administered to catalog users and nonusers in 29 participating institutions) and findings and applications (including organizational setting and computer system, catalog use and satisfaction, and implications).…

This study, conducted at a separate serial card catalog in a major research library, measures the success of more than 400 patrons in the retrieval of serials. Patron interviews supplement data analysis to determine approaches, success rate, and underlying reasons for success or failure. An appendix includes the survey questionnaire. (Author/RAA)

Findings of study of online searchers' self-supported behaviors and attitudes indicate that: there are wide individual differences among online searchers in attitudes and behaviors; searchers from academic institutions differ from counterparts in other library settings; experience appears to be positively related to flexible, trial-and-error…

Findings of study of user perceptions of online public access catalog in an academic library system indicate that: most patrons learned to use system from printed instructions; next most frequent sources of information were library staff and help feature; most patrons were extremely satisfied with system. Six references are cited. (EJS)

A survey of 430 users of online catalog at Ohio State University Libraries found that most users are undergraduate students (68 percent) and that majority (95 percent) choose online catalog as first source of information. Fewer performed known-item searches and success rates were generally higher than reported in earlier studies. (8 references)…

Reports the results of a survey of historians in different fields which identified the formats from which they obtain information, where they find relevant references, and how they use materials in foreign languages. These findings are compared with those of other surveys and citation studies. Twenty-eight references are cited. (RAA)

Analyses of the success-failure rates and user reactions using four public access online systems indicate that users overwhelmingly preferred the online to manual systems. Improved subject access emerged as the salient feature requiring improvement. Seven references are included. (Author/RAA)

Suggests improvement to online catalogs based on a 2 1/2 year study of patron search patterns. Preliminary findings indicate significant differences in search strategies and suggest that these strategies and the reasons patrons choose them should be important factors in the design of future online catalogs. Fourteen references are included.…

Results of study on patron information retrieval success and patron use patterns at Ohio State University show that 90 percent of online users preferred online to card catalog; 64 percent of those who tried online catalog switched to it; and patrons used the online more than the card catalog. References are provided. (EJS)