End-users' perceptions : an exploration on the study of electronic resources

The introduction of technology into the quest for information stimulates a need to educate, instruct, and guide end-users in their ability to effectively manipulate various electronic resources (i e, online public access catalogs (OPAC), CD-ROM databases, and the Internet). A study from the end-user’s perspective was conducted at Emmanuel School of Religion, a graduate seminary, located in Johnson City, Tennessee to illustrate the need for end-user education. Over 80% of the end-users surveyed indicate a greater use of the Internet than to the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) and CD-ROM databases (American Theological Library Association (ATLA) and Religious and Theological Abstracts (RTA)).

Respondents, in spite of the age of technology, continue to find human interaction, i.e., personal assistance from a librarian or another student to be a useful part of the instruction process. This study also reveals that many of the respondents do not use available help screens even though there is an active use of the electronic resource. = Suggestions to the information professional as to how they can develop programs geared toward end-user instruction are made based on the responses generated from the end-user’s perspective.