Apologies for cross postings.
The Joint Information Services Committee and the Consortium of
University Research Libraries has commissioned the Tavistock
Institute to carry out a mid term evaluation of its Online Public
Access Catalogue (COPAC). The evaluation is designed to determine
the value of COPAC and to inform sponsors about future improvements
and developments in online information searching and retrieval for
the academic community.
The methodological framework will incorporate a range of
quantitative and qualitative approaches, principally user surveys,
interviews and focus groups (carried out before and after the main
survey). The Institute's experience of research in library systems
shows that focus groups with academics have provided a rich seam of
empirical material for evaluation and we are keen that this avenue
of inquiry continues.
In this respect, we are seeking to recruit a number academics to
discuss the use and usability of online public access catalogues and
issues pertaining to them in teaching and scholarly research.
The first focus group will concentrate on: the role of COPAC in
relation to the needs of information for research and teaching and
to information retrieval in general; the functionality and
usefulness of the system (and the scope for improvement and
development); and, the relationships with complimentary and
competing services. The second group will address more specific
issues thrown up by the questionnaire survey and the difficulties of
interpreting it (and this will take place some time in November).
The first focus group will be held at the Institute's offices, 30
Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4DD on Tuesday 7th October beginning
at 1.30pm. The institute will reimburse all travel expenses and
provide attendees with a lunch and it is estimated that the event
will finish no later than 4pm. If you would like attend this group
(or to the second group later on in the year), can you contact me at
the numbers below.
If you require any further information about this evaluation, please
do not hesitate to contact me or my colleague John Kelleher. Thank
you for your attention and I hope that you will be involved in this
importance piece of research.
Best wishes
Shaun Fielding
Shaun Fielding
The Tavistock Institute
30 Tabernacle Street
London, EC2A 4DD
0171 417 0407 x227
Fax 0171 417 0567
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