What is OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue)?

OPAC stands for Online Public Access Catalogue: the search interface a library exposes to its readers, letting them look up titles, authors and subjects and check availability without asking library staff. It replaced the physical card catalogue, and modern OPACs run on phones rather than corner terminals.

From card drawers to search boxes

The card catalogue put the collection's index in a wooden cabinet; the first OPACs put it on a dedicated terminal in the library. Web OPACs put it on any browser — and current systems reduce it to a shareable link that opens on a reader's phone.

What a reader can do in an OPAC

Search by title, author, subject or genre; see whether a copy is available right now; and in fuller systems, place a hold. The OPAC reads the same live catalogue the circulation desk writes, so availability is current, not last week's export.

OPAC in Flocci Library POS

Flocci generates tokenized public OPAC links: share them as a QR code on the notice board or in a WhatsApp group, and readers search live availability with no login or app. Member records stay private in the staff app.

Frequently asked questions

Is OPAC the same as the library catalogue?

The catalogue is the data; the OPAC is the public window onto it. Staff modules edit the catalogue, the OPAC lets readers search it.

Does an OPAC need a dedicated computer in the library?

Not anymore — link-based OPACs like Flocci's open on any reader's phone. A dedicated terminal is optional, not required.

Can readers see who has borrowed a book?

No — a proper OPAC shows availability, never borrower identity. Member data stays inside the staff system.

About Flocci Library POS

Flocci Library POS is web-based library management software for Indian libraries: a keyboard-first circulation desk (issue, return, renew), a copy-level catalogue with accession numbers and shelf locations, member management with six membership plans and shareable digital library cards, holds and reservation queues, automatic overdue fines with receipts, a reading room seat map, SMS/WhatsApp/email notification templates, public OPAC search links, AI book recommendations, and reports.

Credit-based pricing — no per-seat licences, no annual lock-in; a free demo workspace with realistic sample data is auto-provisioned in about a minute, no card required. Demo lasts 14 days; onboarding creates a clean production workspace.

This static page mirrors https://library-pos-suite.flocci.in/answers/what-is-opac for search and AI crawlers; the interactive version lives at that URL. Updated 2026-07-28.