LibGuides vs. the OPAC

Getting students to use the library catalog is difficult.  With limited time for library instruction, they don’t get the motivation to learn what’s in the collection, and getting them to ask questions is damn near impossible. Typically, they only get really interested once finals time come around.  LibGuides looks to partially solve this problem since it can lessen the intimidation factor among students; rather than asking questions they have a place to begin and explore the research process.

So here is a dilemma.  As much as we want to teach students how to search the catalog on their own, and considering their propensity to use it only when they are forced to, are students better served by having a generous, steaming portion of titles listed for their subject? And does this mean less searches on the library OPAC, and ultimately diminished searching skills?

It seems like I’ve chosen that option for my guides.  Creating them, I have a much more in-depth knowledge of my library’s collection. For students, though, I do suppose it can take away from the searching process by displaying a thorough listing of what’s available.  Though we do have NetLibrary titles added and accessible via LibGuides, the other titles do require students, if they so choose to accept their mission,  to actually go and retrieve their books. For what it’s worth, students will learn about the LC call number system, the library floor plan, and and the frustration of finding their books already checked out.  I suppose that’s the price for not checking the catalog prior to entering the stacks.

It’s easy to make this issue into an either/or, polemic argument that students’ searching skills simply won’t develop when instantly given the title and location of relevant items. Perhaps true, but as this doesn’t mean we are abandoning in-class instructional sessions, there always exists the possibility of planting some seeds of library nerddom within those few conscientious geeks out there.  Not discounting the possibility of accomplishing both, it does echo a sentiment I’ve previously considered about whether LibGuides will make a library OPAC obsolete.

Depending on your type of library, LibGudes can be a primary or supplementary resource.  Whatever gets students motivated and prepared for research should be emphasized and promoted as much as possible.  Either way, students will be served; LibGuides will help students find particular resources for a variety of courses, and if they’re curious enough to search the OPAC for related items, then good on them for turning to another resource of ours (it’s not as if they can’t search the OPAC from the LibGuides interface).  But it’s important to mention that LibGuides expediates research, making it easier and more efficient for student research.  And it’s not as if we can’t create a guide for using the OPAC.