Students' Awareness and Use of the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) at the Central Luzon State University Library in the Philippines

Abstract

The online public access catalog (OPAC) is a digital portal to the library's collection that allows users to search, locate, and access a wide range of academic resources. One of its key functions is to make books and other library materials easily accessible and retrievable. The main purpose of this study was to assess students’ awareness and use of the OPAC in the Central Luzon State University Library. The data were gathered using a survey questionnaire. The frequency, percentage, and weighted mean were analyzed, and the data was interpreted. The findings show that students widely use OPAC, though not all of them are aware of all of the functions that OPAC provides. Findings also indicate that a lack of proper orientation and a lack of OPAC terminals are the main reasons for not using the OPAC. The vast majority of students were satisfied with the OPAC. However, a small percentage of students remain dissatisfied with it. This insight is essential for libraries to better alter and tailor their systems, services, and instructional programs to suit their student population's evolving needs and technological expectations.

Keywords

• online public access catalog
• opac
• students
• central luzon state university library
• philippines