Users’ Expectations on Restructuring OPACs Through Social Network Applications
Özet
The constant developments in web technologies have
reconstructed the structure of most web-based applications and
systems, causing web users to alter their behaviors/expectations.
Playing an important role in the transference of information via
multifarious technologies, libraries have been improving the
structure and interface of their OPAC (Online Public Access
Catalog) through utilizing various softwares so as to realize
user’s expectations. “The next generation OPACs” integrated
with social network applications, maintain a more functional and
user-centered structure. The aim of this paper is therefore to
determine expectations of library users regarding the next
generation OPACs which are considered to be one of the most
important means of accessing the information resources in the
libraries. To this end, 179 users (including students and academic
staff) at Ankara University and Hacettepe University Libraries
were applied a web-based survey, enabling them to reveal their
expectations about the idea of reconstructing OPACs by social
network applications and using library catalogs. It is the first
user study regarding “adaptation of social network applications
into OPACs” in Turkey.
