[974] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Boolean, Bread and Nonsense
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (ple)
Wed Aug 12 12:37:48 1992
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 11:32:57 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
From: ple <LIBPLE%INDST.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
In-Reply-To: Message of Tue, 11 Aug 1992 11:17:51 CDT from <BR.WCC@RLG>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Walt Crawford's message brings up two rough thoughts, related to user feelings
of control, and wanting to know why, when they took this action, they got
this result.
1) Supporting this is the disproportionate (sp?) upset that some people ex-
perience when they retrieve a record on an OPAC and can't easily see why they
got it. It cost them nothing but a moment's attention, but they are often
quite upset -- How in the world did I get this? Where are the words I put in?
2) I have long observed, and done some research which recognizes, that about
2/3 of library OPAC users would rather look at a long list of results, than
take some action to narrow it. I attribute this mostly to the difficulty of
learning and remembering appropriate actions to narrow a search, but there
does seem to be a strong element of wanting to maintain control over the whole
process. Yes, someone who enters "elementary school" when they want academic
achievement in elementary school, revolts at the thought of looking at tens
of thousands of records, but someone who manages to come up with "only"
several hundred records, will probably just start looking at them, and feels
like s/he is controlling the situation.
Just stray, and badly organized thoughts!
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PAT ENSOR (OCT 1: HEAD, INFORMATION SERVICES, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LIBS)
COORDINATOR, ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SERVICES (UNTIL SEPTEMBER 11)
Editor, Information Standards Quarterly
Indiana State University Libraries
Terre Haute, IN 47809
Voice:(812)237-2580; FAX:237-2567
Bitnet:libple@indst
Internet:libple@indst.indstate.edu
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