Usability Study on Library Online Public Access Catalogue Systems: The Case of Selected Ethiopian University Libraries

Abstract

Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) is now accessible either through intranet or internet (Web OPAC). OPAC: the library catalogue is an online database of all of the resources held in the library and one can search OPAC to locate books in the library. The purpose of this study is to assess the usability of OPAC systems of the selected Universities, from post graduate students and professional staff’s perspective. It is important therefore to have Usability evaluation of OPAC at regular intervals because it helps in understanding the problems of the users, and also in marinating these gap (problems) with some changes mainly in the interface design. The study used descriptive study design with mixed method for data collection. For data collection questionnaires and interview were used. In view for this, study two University Web OPACs namely Addis Ababa University and Addis Ababa Science Technology University, were selected. The study population included postgraduate students, librarians’ (professional staff including head of each selected librarian) and related members of university library. The analysis of the data on users’ evaluation, preferences and expectations by a set of usability attributes enabled recommendations to be made with respect to key areas of the system functionality. Practical in the results indicated that, there was overall satisfaction about the design of the Web OPACs of the two University among the respondents, but AASTU was found to have not so satisfied on few OPAC services usability, that shown in the research analysis result. The major finding of the research reflects the usability of web-OPAC in higher education has a significant effect on the use of real, accurate information resources in the content, and on the navigation of the OPAC system. Therefore, libraries have to rethink the application of advanced web technologies to make the OPACs efficiently functional, usable and attractive for users of the fast-changing technology era to access information on OPAC in a modern technological environment.