A Survey of Japanese Internet OPACs

Abstract

A survey was made on Japanese Web and telnet OPACs, which numbered 136 in April 1997, from the standpoint of the functions and user interfaces which OPAC should have. The functions and user interfaces covered in this paper are: types of searchable files; access points; kinds of displays; login command; search methods (simple searching, menu-driven or command method, et.); boolean operation; help functions such as explanation, examples and feedback messages; search history; browsing of indexed terms, etc. The result shows that the number of the Web OPACs has rapidly increased during last few years, now surpassing that of telnet OPACs. Another finding indicates that the functions and user interfaces which the Japanese Internet OPACs provide are not satisfactory and that they have special problems with subject access and help functions.