OPACs and Users - The ACUEIL Project Explains Online Search Behaviour and Outlines Simple and Flexible Search Methodologies

ACUEIL is a research project that studied user behaviour when searching bibliographical records online using two distinct methodologies. A quantitative analysis analysed OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) log files that gave evidence for the use of different functionalities. A qualitative analysis consisted of guided usability tests and records of uncontrolled user behaviour.The results of both studies reveal that many obstructions are less likely to be found in the catalogue but rather in the interface. Users in fact need both simplicity and flexibility: more simplicity concerning the layout and more flexibility concerning their requests and the corresponding search results