Online Public Access Catalogs and Serials

Online public access catalogs (OPACS) enable the user to search a library's holdings in ways never before possible and to know the status of the desired items before going to the shelf. Serials constitute an important part of a library's collection. Holdings information is a necessary adjunct to bibliographic information. The online catalog of the future will give access to serial literature beyond that held by a library. As users become accustomed to the OPAC's capabilities their expectations for access to information will rise. Libraries should be aware of the factors to be considered when incorporating serials information into an online catalog. They must make decisions on what information their users need and what form of access and display will best meet that need.