  This chapter outlines how search engine technology can be used in online
public access library catalogs (OPACs) to help improve users experiences, to
identify users intentions, and to indicate how it can be applied in the library
context, along with how sophisticated ranking criteria can be applied to the
online library catalog. A review of the literature and current OPAC
developments form the basis of recommendations on how to improve OPACs.
Findings were that the major shortcomings of current OPACs are that they are
not sufficiently user-centered and that their results presentations lack
sophistication. Further, these shortcomings are not addressed in current 2.0
developments. It is argued that OPAC development should be made search-centered
before additional features are applied. While the recommendations on ranking
functionality and the use of user intentions are only conceptual and not yet
applied to a library catalogue, practitioners will find recommendations for
developing better OPACs in this chapter. In short, readers will find a
systematic view on how the search engines strengths can be applied to improving
libraries online catalogs.
