OPAC is best described as which concept?

• A. A searchable catalog of library resources.
• B. A digital rights management system.
• C. A platform for interlibrary loans.
• D. A subscription database of journals.

Answer: (A)

OPAC is the online entry point for finding library materials; it’s the library’s searchable catalog of resources. You can look up items by title, author, subject, or keywords and immediately see what the library has, where it’s located, and whether it’s available or checked out. It may also show call numbers, formats, and links to digital copies when available. This makes it the primary tool for locating physical and digital holdings within the library’s collection.

This distinguishes it from digital rights management, which controls access to digital content; from interlibrary loan platforms, which handle requests to borrow items from other libraries; and from subscription databases of journals, which provide access to full-text articles rather than serving as a catalog of holdings.