OPAC (Open Public Access Catalogue) is the tool for searching the collection of the Library. This provides you facility to search and check the availability of the document/(s) of your choice in the library. The documents could be searched by a number of access points viz. Title, Author, Subject, Publisher, Keywords, etc.. These access points could be used individually or in conjunction with each other using Boolean operators AND/ OR for searching the documents.
The detailed instruction as provided in the help menu of the NETTLIB/VIDYUT is given hereunder with a few examples for using the OPAC module to make them more expressive/understandable to the users: View document
• Quick Search: This facility allows fast and accurate retrieval of data through various access points. When more than one record meets the search criteria, a summary list of titles is immediately displayed. The user can select the relevant record and look at complete details of the selected record.
• Issue Details & Reservation: Circulation Status of the selected document is highlighted on the screen. User can find the material issued, as well as to put material on reserves etc.
• Steps For operating OPAC: Click on the OPAC icon on the NETTLIB / VIDYUT main screen. Select Books from the displayed menu by placing the mouse cursor and clicking. Follow the steps described below.
• Selection of language: Click on the down arrow of the language box. The software will display a list of languages available. Select the language of the book for which you want to search from the list of languages. Use mouse cursor to browse through the list and select the language by clicking.
• Entering the field for search: Enter the known field or the field on which you want to search. The fields could be author, title, subject, keyword etc as displayed on the screen. Key in the fields in the respective boxes. Select the field by placing the mouse cursor in the window of the field and clicking. To move to the next field use TAB key. To move to the previous field use SHIFT + TAB key on the computer keyboard.
• Selecting multiple fields for search: Use the AND / OR Boolean operators for specifying the Boolean combination of the fields for search by clicking on the appropriate selection operator. The default operator is OR for all fields. The fields could be chosen in any combination. Use mouse cursor and click on the ORorAND labels for the selection of Boolean combination of search.
• Searching the records: View document
• Displaying details of record: Select the title you are interested from the displayed list by placing the mouse cursor on the title. Now click on the selected title. The software will display the cataloguing details and the issue details inside the window at the lower portion of the display.
• Reserving the title for issue:click on the RESERVE button provided on the OPAC screen Enter the date for reservation. The book will be reserved for you user.
• Clearing the display: Click on the CLEAR button to clear the window displaying the search results.
• Searching more results: Start New Search after clearing the results of the previous search.
