University College Dublin became the first library in the Republic of Ireland to trial patron-driven acquisition (PDA) as a collection development tool in 2013. A total of 42% of UCD Library's book budget was allocated to the project, which included both electronic and print books. This article describes the twelve month project from the tender…

A study was conducted at Texas A&M University that compared the intactness (i.e., the presence or absence of a bibliographic record) and the accuracy of the bibliographic data in the public card catalog and in the online catalog (ALIS II). Results indicate the online catalog was less intact, but more accurate. (two references) (LRW)

Describes an experiment conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago that was designed to determine whether adding a substantial number of subject headings would raise circulation rates. The effects of added contents notes, keyword searching, browsing, and displays on the online catalog are examined, and further research is suggested. (27…

Describes a study that electronically monitored 11 public access terminals at the University of Colorado libraries to produce transaction logs that were used to gather statistics and analyze users' behavior when searching online catalogs. Implications for search instruction and systems design are suggested. (Contains 13 references.) (LRW)

Graphic novels are a blending of words and art in which the illustrations bear the same relationship to the text that a film carries to its screenplay. The hypothesis of this research is that, as a new form of literature, graphic novels will display inconsistent cataloging. Methodology consisted of searching the titles generated from Bowling Green…

This study investigated the use patterns of four CD-ROM systems--Newsbank Electronic Index, SilverPlatter's ERIC and PsycLIT, and Dissertation Abstracts Ondisc--and their print index counterparts in the University of Georgia (UGA) Main Library, which houses collections and provides library services for the humanities, the social sciences, and…

Describes PACE (Public Access Catalogue Extension), an alternative interface designed to enhance online catalogs by simulating images of books and library shelves to help users browse through the catalog. Results of a test in a college library against a text-based online public access catalog, including student attitudes, are described.…

Describes a study of the newly implemented online library catalog system at the Tarrant County Junior College District libraries, conducted to determine how heavily terminals were used and by whom, use of search aids, and user satisfaction. Describes the catalog and study purposes, procedures, and results. Includes recommendations. (CBC)

Discusses the need to reevaluate bibliographic instruction in academic libraries for an expanded online environment based on experiences at Moorhead State University (Minnesota). Topics addressed include the addition of databases to local online catalogs; student searching; search patterns; database characteristics; student search skills; library…

Describes the Dewey Online Retrieval System (DORS), which was developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to experiment with classification-based search strategies in online catalogs. Classification structures in automated information retrieval are discussed; and specifications for a classification retrieval interface are…

A study investigated the relationship between the completeness of end users' mental models of an online system and their ability to use the system effectively. Although all of the study subjects were relatively successful, those with more complete mental models tended to have better search results than subjects with incomplete or poor mental…

Describes an analysis of transaction logs of the online catalog at the University of Missouri-Kansas City that examined patron use of both controlled and uncontrolled vocabulary subject access during the same search session. Hypotheses tested are discussed, and recommendations are made for library instruction and online catalog design. (six…

Describes a study conducted at the University of Illinois to test the effectiveness of subject access in the online bibliographic catalog. Relevance is examined and possible methods of improving subject access are described. Results suggest that significant improvements are not possible within the constraints of existing subject cataloging…

Reports on a study of library skills retention which showed that the inclusion of library exercises and hands-on training in undergraduate and graduate bibliographic instruction programs influences education students' retention of subject matter. Statistics are given for each item on a 24-question pre- and posttest; a copy of the test is appended.…

Describes the use of MultiLIS, a fully bilingual integrated library-management software package, at Laurentian University. The authority control module is explained, its potential as a control system for multilingual or multithesaurus controlled vocabularies is considered, and an evaluation of the MultiLIS authority module is presented with…