Mark Gavillet talks about the future of the OPAC and how it has changed over the last few years

1. The OPAC of 2025

3. 2000

4. 2018

5. 2000 2018

6. 2000 2018

7. 2000 2018

8. • Culture is changing, we are changing
• Users expect:
• Exactly what they need
• When they need it
• How they need it
• With a minimum of effort, or…
• …no effort at all
• Shiny, minimal interfaces are used day in, day out
• 20th
century culture in the 21st
century

10. ▪ Easy, clear search options
▪ Minimal search results with pertinent information in a quickly
digestible format
▪ Universal icons, design conventions and cues
▪ Contextual information when and where it’s needed
▪ Use the patron’s existing ability, expectation, intuition, and knowledge
to your advantage
▪ Give them a tool they know how to use, not a tool you have to teach
them to use
▪ Change the tool – do not try to change the patron

11. ▪Knows what they want to find
before searching for it
▪Searches exclusively – has
the ability to construct a
search before submitting it
▪Do not know what they want
to find
▪Searches inclusively – hopes
to find something and narrow
down afterwards
Librarian Patron

12. The OPAC of 2025The OPAC of 2025
The OPAC of next Tuesday