Scientists Use Online Along With Paper Catalogs: Study

Scientists prefer online catalogs to search for and order products they need for their labs. But 70% of them still want to receive a print catalog, even if the same information is available online, according to a survey by market research firm BioInformatics LLC.

The survey showed that scientists have strong expectations about their print and online catalogs. Among the useful features of a print catalog, 83% of respondents cited as important, that the catalog’s products were indexed in multiple ways. Some 75% liked that the company information is displayed on the spine.

For online catalogs, 95% said it is important that it links to manuals and protocols. Eighty-six percent said they liked that online catalogs link to full-text journal articles. Some 85% said it is helpful that information product availability is provided.

BioInformatics in Arlington, VA, surveyed over 1,000 scientists.