Quick Guides – Developing Short OPAC Tutorials

Martin Wolf

04-Sept-2003

About Cardiff University

• Ranked 7th out of 106 universities for

research in 2001

• Circa. 15,500 students and 3,500 staff

• Soon to merge with University of Wales

College of Medicine

OPAC Tutorials

• Why have them?

• What types are there?

• What did we decide?

• What does it cover?

• Where next?

Why have them?

• Anecdotal evidence from library staff

• Comments from academic staff

• University-wide audit of library enquiries

• Observational study of OPAC users

OPAC searching – the main difficulties

• Misunderstanding of search options

• Most searches too specific or too broad

• Large numbers of hits

• Almost no use of limits / operators

Addressing the difficulties

• Implemented use of automatic limiters

• Development of Quick Guides

What types are there?

Simple pages of text to work through• University of Regina

“Multi-window” instructions• University of Auckland

“Multi-frame” instructions• University of Hawaii

Interactive Flash demonstrations• Bolton Institute

What did we decide?

• Users needed to be able to use live

catalogue

• Instructions and catalogue should be on

screen at same time

• Tutorial had to be accessible to wide

range of browsers (including DOPACs)

What did we use?

• Frames-based

• Instructions and navigation to left;

screenshots and catalogue to right

• Static screenshots – benefits of animation not

worth extra problems

Cardiff University Voyager Guide

What did we cover?

Emphasis on basics

• Keyword searching as primary tool

• Understanding location screens

• Reserving items

• Checking accounts

The process

• Project group brought together relevant

staff

• Implementation delayed by need for

Welsh language version

• Ready to be used during 2003/4

induction sessions

Where next?

• Need to keep pace with OPAC upgrades

• Make tutorial more visible – e.g. links from

other pages, more promotion

• Consider ways of increasing interactivity

• Consider ways of obtaining user feedback

Quick Guides – Developing Short OPAC Tutorials

Martin Wolf

04-Sept-2003