Abstract: A search operation control apparatus in an optical disc reader searches a desired position on an optical disc which is controllably rotated at a constant linear velocity and has its information pits arranged in a segmental spiral, in response to a search command which includes information of the desired position. The apparatus has an optical pickup, an optical-pickup moving controller, and an optical-disc driving controller. The optical-pickup moving controller controllably moves the optical pickup from a current position to a desired position at high speed when it receives a search command. The optical-disc driving controller controllably drives the optical disc during an acceleration/deceleration control timing, and a free-run or constant-run time. During the high-speed translation of the optical pickup, spindle servocontrol to the optical disc is not executed, but the acceleration/deceleration control process and the free-run or constant-run control process are executed.