The Potential of Online Library Catalogues for Supporting Opportunistic Acquisition of Information Pertaining Scholarly Literature

The article includes a description and analysis of empirical research, which by comparative means looked to determine the potential of various solutions for academic libraries in configuring the interfaces of online catalogues in support of opportunistic acquisition of information pertaining to scholarly literature. The research consisted of experiments using 22 different search instructions and an analysis of the results of other encountered sources. The research was carried out from May to July 2007 in 33 Polish libraries based on 8 different computer systems. The research allowed for the establishing of links between applied solutions in OPAC, the form of search instruction and the chances of discovering publications which are not able to satisfy the needs of an intentional and deliberate search, but can satisfy or even inspire other information needs of library users.