Describes how to help high school students use online college library catalogs. A workbook incorporating the following information was developed: technological information; geographic information; scope of database and levels of records; moving around screens; locational skills; title, name, and subject searching; creating bibliographies; and…

Thirty-one public library users were observed searching the Web and/or a Web-based on-line catalog. Four user categories were identified, distinguished by number of search approaches employed. Results indicate experience and motivation, elements of situational goals and mental models, work in tandem to determine search approaches, Web sites…

Presents results of experiments conducted on four versions of the Science Library Catalog (SLC), a Dewey decimal-based hierarchical browsing system implemented in HyperCard without a keyboard. The SLC approach helps children overcome problems with typing, spelling, vocabulary, and Boolean logic. (70 references) (AEF)

Examines three aspects of keyword searching as a possible solution to subject search problems in online public access catalogs (OPACs). Discusses search results, user satisfaction, and how keyword searching and controlled vocabulary searching are offered in OPAC interfaces. Concludes that keyword searching and controlled vocabulary searching…

Explores the influence of several search task characteristics on children's success in finding science materials on an automated library catalog. Findings suggest that the complexity of the search task and the level of children's science domain knowledge affect their success in identifying books on assigned science topics. (Author/AEF)

Presents a methodology for analyzing patterns of usage of a Web-based library catalog and evaluates the methodology with data collected from the transaction logs of the Web interface version of the University of California's Melvyl Systemwide Library Catalog. Results revealed major differences in usage (number of searches, search time, number of…

Librarians at the University of Pacific (Stockton, California) designed a replication of an earlier transaction log study. Researchers found it difficult to compare the year-to-year data, primarily due to a continually changing technological environment. Findings did reveal a rise in student use of online periodical databases which subsequently…

Reports results of a material-availability study in which library users were surveyed to determine their success in obtaining materials. Both OPAC users and CD-ROM journal-index users were studied and transaction logs verified their self reports. Recommendations for reducing search failures are discussed. (Author)

Proposes an operational definition of relevance for a Web-based library catalog. Proposes measures that characterize user behavior while searching a Web-based library catalog. Develops a methodology to predict when a user's search will be perceived to be relevant by the user. Tests the methodology with over 900,000 user search sessions with the…

Users of school libraries and teacher resource centers have had significant problems in accessing curriculum materials in card catalogs as well as in online catalogs. Curriculum-Enhanced [Machine Readable Cataloging] (CEMARC) addresses these problems by: (1) offering data entry guidelines for a minimum USMARC standard (in order to clarify…

User-centered design of catalog records requires the study of user behaviors and cognition related to interaction with the catalog. During 3 phases of a pilot study, 103 catalog users described 386 searches; searchers generally knew the title, publication date, page numbers, and/or the author. (Author/AEF)

Describes a microcomputer program that serves as a front-end to an online library catalog and other information sources and provides guidance to students on searching for and evaluating information. Funding, technology, evaluation, impact on other libraries, and future plans are discussed. Sample screens are included. (Contains 75 references.)…

The Internet is a network of networks which continually accumulates and amasses information, much of which is without organization and evaluation. This study addresses the need for establishing a database of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), and for collecting, organizing, indexing, and publishing catalogs of URLs. Librarians and information…

Reports on a study of the information searching behavior of 35 high school students. Problems that the students had searching an online catalog are identified, and implications for instruction are considered. (EAM)

Outlines the cognitive theories influencing the Science Library Catalog's (SLC) design; describes the catalog itself; explains research based on the SLC; and discusses research results, emphasizing findings that are most relevant to school library media specialists developing children's information skills. An annotated bibliography of 14 related…