College and Research Libraries Research Notes CONTENTS COLLEGE & RESEARCH LIBRARIES Carolyn Pawley MichaelS. Freeman 473 478 Online Access: User Reaction College Library Buildings in Transition: A Study of 36 Libraries Built in 1967-68 CAROLYN PAWLEY Online Access: User Reaction INTRODUCTION Since early 1970, professional library liter- ature has published many articles on the clos- ing of card catalogs, and the resulting switch to COM fiche or online catalogs. There have, however, been few articles describing users' reactions to these new types of catalogs. J. Sprecht cited the rieed for detailed studies of patron use of online systems, 1 and Ben- Ami Lipitz reported that there have been studies on the use of the card catalog, but not the online catalog. 2 A recent article by Carole Weiss Moore3 describes a study on the use of online systems at four libraries, the results of which indicate that, in most instances, the users adapt to on- line systems with little or no difficulty. Such was definitely the experience of the Univer- sity of Guelph Library, one of the four sys- tems studied. The University of Guelph Library has had an online circulation system since fall 1977. The card catalog is located on the main floor of McLaughlin Library. Reader ser- vices are offered for separate reference col- lections in three subject divisions: a branch library for veterinary medicine, special col- lections for government publications, an·d archives and rare books. COM fiche catalogs Carolyn Pawley is a public service librarian, University oj Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario. (main entry and shelflist) and serial and doc- ument catalogs are located in each public service division as a supplement to the card catalog. Terminals are located throughout the library to provide access to the online cir- culation system and its records. The online circulation system provides public access to monographs and documents in the collection via call number, author, and title. It also supplies access to an individ- ual's borrower record. By entering the sys- tem, a user is able to determine if an item is charged out and, if so, when it is due back in the library. The user is also able to place a hold on an item by wanding the bar code on his I.D. card. A study of the online system was under- taken in an attempt to examine the attitude of students and faculty, and to provide data for further development. METHODOLOGY The study took the form of a printed ques- tionnaire and was distributed at the public terminals during the 1980 fall semester. The purpose of the study was twofold: to deter- mine if the online circulation system was pro- viding user satisfaction; and to gather infor- mation for the design of an online cataloging module. The terminal screen was self- instructional; therefore, no formal instruc- tion was offered. Initial entry into the system I 473 4 7 4 I College & Research Libraries • November 1982 can be made by choosing one of four ·ap- proaches: call number, author, title, and borrower inquiry. Each instruction is fol- lowed by pressing the send button, and each screen of information provides instructions for the next step. No record of queries regard- ing the use of the online system was main- tained. The study questionnaire was designed to provide five basic types of information: (1) the status of users and the number of times they used the system; (2) the effectiveness of the instructions on the terminal screen; (3) the convenience of terminal locations; (4) the type of information required by the user; and finally , (5) general comments about the sys- tem. Completed questionnaires were col- lected each day by the public service staff. The rate of return on distributed question- naires was 10 percent. FINDINGS As illustrated in table 1, the largest num- ber of returns came from the seventh semes- ter level. As expected, the number of times the system was used rose according to semes- ter level of the user. One hundred percent of the eighth-semester-level students reported using the system eleven times or more. The slight drop at the graduate level, as indicated in table 1, could be due to the fact that many graduate students were new to the univer- sity, and thus not familiar with the system. The majority (94.1 percent) of users found that instructions on the terminal screens were adequate. The largest number of nega- tive replies came from library staff. (See ta- ble 2.) Table 3 shows that of the total number of online circulation users, 68.5 percent, re- quired no assistance, while 31.5 percent asked for help from either library staff or a friend. The percentage requiring assistance appears to indicate that some form of in- struction was necessary, and, as a result, classes on the use of the public inquiry system were offered. Most users found the terminals conve- niently located, with only 8.6 percent indica- ting dissatisfaction. The location of termi- nals near service points on every floor of the library appeared to be a good decision. (See table 4.) Thirty-five percent of the users repqrted having to wait one or two minutes to use a terminal, 37.9 percent reported having to wait three to five minutes, and 16.3 percent had to wait six minutes or longer. Only 10.8 percent reported no wait time. Although careful studies had been made to determine terminal requirements before the system was implemented, an insufficient number of ter- minals had been provided. Both tables 4 and 5 will be of value in de- termining the location and number of termi- nals required for the complete online cata- loging system. Table 6 confirms the suspicion that the on- line circulation system was used as a substi- tute for the card catalog. More than 40 per- cent reported looking for a specific subject, when, in fact, no subject approach is offered. . In place of direct subject-heading access, us- ers were finding that manipulation of the ti- tle access provided an acceptable substitute. Table 7 indicates that 88.1 percent of those surveyed reported successful retrieval of in- formation. Nearly 70 percent of the users re- TABLE 1 STATUS oF UsER AND NuMBER oF TIMES SYSTEM UsED Stat us Nu mber of T imes System Used Row of User 1 or 2 3- 10 11 or More Never Total 1st sem 13.0 % 34 .8 % 47.8 % 4.3 % 11.3 % 2dsem 0.0 66.7 33 .3 0.0 1.5 3dsem 8.7 21.7 69 .6 0 .0 11.3 4th sem 0.0 22.2 66.7 11.1 4.4 5th sem 0.0 29 .0 67.7 3.2 15.3 6th sem 0 .0 11.8 88.2 0.0 8.4 7th sem 0.0 11.9 88.1 0.0 20.7 8th sem 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 6.9 Graduate 0.0 5.9 94 .1 0 .0 8.4 Faculty 28 .6 0.0 57 .1 14.3 3.4 Staff 0.0 14 .3 85.7 0.0 6.9 Other 0.0 33 .3 66 .7 0.0 1.5 Column Total 3.4 % 18.2 % 76.4 % 2.0 % 100.0 % Research Notes I 475 TABLE 2 "ARE INSTRUCTIONS CLEAR ENOUGH?" Status of User Yes No Row Total 1st sem 90.5% 9.5% 10.4% 2dsem 100.0 0.0 1.5 3dsem 91.7 8.3 11.9 4th sem 100.0 0.0 4.5 5th sem 87.1 12.9 15.3 6th sem 100.0 0.0 8.4 7th sem 97.6 2.4 20.8 8th sem 92.9 7.1 6.9 Graduate 100.0 0.0 8.4 Faculty 100.0 0.0 3.5 Staff 85.7 14.3 6.9 Other 100.0 0.0 1.5 Column Total 94.1% 5.9% 100.0% TABLE 3 "WAS HELP REQUIRED AND IF So, FROM WHoM?" Status Yes: Yes: of User Lib. Staff Friend No Row Total 1st sem 31.8% 0.0% 68.2% 10.8% 2dsem 66.7 0.0 33.3 1.5 3dsem 33.3 16.7 50.0 11.8 4th sem 22.2 22.2 55.6 4.4 5th sem 12.9 16.1 71.0 15.3 6th sem 17.6 5.9 76.5 8.4 7th sem 21.4 4.8 73.8 20.7 8th sem 21.4 0.0 78.6 6.9 Graduate 35.3 0.0 64.7 8.4 Faculty 42.9 0.0 57.1 3.4 Staff 21.4 0.0 78.6 6.9 Other 0.0 0.0 100.0 1.5 Column Total 24.6% 6.9% 68.5% 100.0% TABLE 4 "TERMINAL CONVENIENTLY LOCATED?" Status of User Yes 1st sem 95.2% 2dsem 100.0 3dsem 87.5 4th sem 100.0 5th sem 87.1 6th sem 93.3 7th sem 90.2 8th sem 92.9 Graduate 100.0 Fac~lty 100.0 Staff 85.7 Other 66.7 Column Total quested information from the borrower in- quiry function, thus relieving circulation division staff, who previously had to handle these requests on a personal basis. Table 8 shows that the largest number of users (72. 2 percent) found the terminal easier to use than the card catalog. No Row Total 4.8% 10.7% 0.0 1.5 12.5 12.2 0.0 4.6 12.9 15.7 6.7 7.6 9.8 20.8 7.1 7.1 0.0 7.6 0.0 3.6 14.3 7.1 33.3 1.5 8.6 % 100.0% THE UsERs CoMMENT Each respondent was asked for comments that might shed further light on user atti- tudes to the online circulation system. Sev- eral findings emerged: the library needs more terminals and a subject approach; oth- erwise, the system is a good one. 476 I College & Research Libraries • November 1982 TABLE 5 WAIT TIME TO UsE TERMINAL Status Row of User OMin. 1- 2 Min . 3-5 Min . 6+ Min. Total 1st sem 18.2 % 40.9 % 27 .3 % 13.6 % 10.8 % 2dsem 0.0 33.3 66.7 0.0 1.5 3dsem 12.5 37.5 33.3 16.7 11.8 4th sem 0.0 44.4 33.3 22.2 4.4 5th sem 6.5 32.3 41.9 19.4 15.3 6th sem 11.8 47.1 29.4 ll.8 8.4 7th sem 7.1 33.3 45.2 14.3 20.7 8th sem 0.0 21.4 57.1 21.4 6.9 Graduate 17.6 17.6 47.1 17.6 8.4 Faculty 28 .6 57 .1 0.0 14.3 3.4 Staff 21.4 42.9 14.3 21.4 6.9 Other 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 1.5 Column Total 10.8 % 35.0 % 37.9 % 16.3 % 100.0 % TABLE 6 TYPE OF INFORMATION REQUESTED Status Borrower Call Row of User Inq. No . Author Title Subject Other Total 1st sem 8.5 % 8.6 % 10 .9 % 9.9 % 9.9 % 0.0 % 10.9 % 2dsem 1.4 1.4 0.0 1.3 1.2 0.0 1.5 3dsem 9.9 10.8 7.6 ll.9 14.8 0.0 ll.9 4th sem 4.3 3.6 4.2 4.6 7.4 16.7 4.5 5th sem 17.7 17.3 13.4 16.6 21.0 16.7 15.3 6th sem 9.9 7.9 11.8 10.6 7.4 8.3 8.4 7th sem 23.4 20.1 22.7 19.9 21.0 41.7 20 .8 8th sem 7.8 9.4 8.4 7.3 7.4 8.3 6.9 Graduate 9.9 9.4 10.9 9.3 6.2 0.0 8.4 Faculty 2.1 2.9 1.7 2.0 0.0 8.3 3.5 Staff 5.0 7.9 8.4 5.3 3.7 0.0 6.4 Other 0.0 0.7 0.0 1.3 0.0 0.0 1.5 Column 69.8 % 68.8 % 58.9 % 74.8 % 40.1 % 5.9 % 100.0 % Total TABLE 7 REnuEV AL OF lNFORMA TION Status No No No Row of User Yes Author Title Subs. Other Total 1st sem 11.7 % 0.0 % 7.1 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 10 .3 % 2dsem 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 1.5 3dsem 10.5 15.4 14.3 17.2 20.0 11.9 4th sem 4.7 0.0 7.1 3.4 0.0 4.6 5th sem 16.4 15.4 14.3 17.2 20.0 14.9 6th sem 8.2 7.7 7.1 10.3 20.0 8.8 7th sem 20.5 15.4 7.1 24 .1 20.0 20.6 8th sem 7.0 7.7 7.1 6.9 0.0 6.7 Graduate 8.8 15.4 14.3 6.9 0.0 8.8 Faculty 3.5 7.7 7.1 3.4 0.0 3.6 Staff 6.4 7.7 7.1 10.3 0.0 6.7 Other 1.2 7.7 7.1 0.0 0.0 1.5 Column 88.1 % 6.7 % 7.2 % 14 .9 % 2.6 % 100.0 % Total CoNCLUDING REMARKS will be needed on the use of the online system as the online cataloging module is made It is apparent that the attitude of the user available. Not one user mentioned eyestrain to the online circulation system at the Uni- as a disadvantage of having to read CRT versity of Guelph, is, with few exceptions, screens, a point raised frequently by those positive. It is also obvious that orientation who are skeptical of online systems. R. Gay Research Notes I 4 77 TABLE 8 CoMPARE EAsE oF UsE-TERMINAL AND CARD CATALOG Status Easier of User T ermin al 1st sem 78.9 % 2dsem 33.3 3dsem 50.0 4th sem 75.0 5th sem 67.9 t>th sem 87.5 7th sem 86.5 8th sem 66.7 Graduate 75.0 Faculty 50.0 Staff 72.7 Other 50.0 Column Total 72.2 % in the American Scholar mentions the "strain of reading banks of information through the unsteady light of the console screen. " 4 She does concede that at " Ohio State, however, readers preferred using the terminal to the card catalogue. " 5 This is most certainly the case at the University of Guelph. REFERENcES S' ~s 1 1. Jerry Specht, "Patron Use of an Online Circula- With PADS, you'll have immediate access to articles from thousands of business, technical and economic publications. Turn to PADS when you need the full text of an article in a hurry ... place your order by mail, phone, telex- even when you're online ... and, we'll send the complete text within three working days. For more information on PADS, just return the coupon, and don 't forget to ask for the free booklet listing the periodicals abstracted in Predicasts' services! Easier Row Catalog Same Total 5.3 % 15.8 % 10.6 % 0.0 66.7 1.7 31.8 18.2 12.2 0.0 25.0 4.4 10.7 21.4 15.6 6.3 6.3 8.9 2.7 10 .8 20.6 16.7 16.7 6.7 6.3 18 .8 8.9 33.3 16.7 3.3 0.0 27 .3 6.1 50.0 0.0 1.1 10.6 % 17.2 % 100.0 % tion System in Known-item Searching," Journal of the American Society for Information Sci- ence 31:335-46 (Sept . 1980). 2. Ben-Ami Lipitz, "Catalog Use in a Large Re- search Library, " Library Quarterly 42:129-39 Gan. 1972). 3. Carole Weiss Moore, "User Reactions to Online Catalogs: An Exploratory Study," College & Research Libraries 42:295-302 Guly 1981). 4. Ruth Gay , " The Machine in the Library , " American Scholar 49:66- 77 (Winter 1979/80). 5. Ibid : - · IN A HURRY? Call toll-free 800-321-6388 . In Ohio, call (216) 795-3000. r------------------------- Predicasls .•I I I I I I I I Dept. MACR, 11001 Cedar, Cleveland , OH 44106 0 Contact me with details on PADS. 0 Rush me the free guide to periodicals abstracted in Predicasts services! Name __________________ __ Title----------- Organization-------------- Phone _________________ _ Address---------- City/State/Zip------