OCLC Update
(December 1999 Action for Libraries newsletter)

By Rosario Garza

WorldCat Keyword Search Changes Delayed

Because of problems encountered during testing, OCLC has postponed installing changes to keyword searching for cataloging, ILL and union list users. The changes were announced in Technical Bulletin 235 which was mailed to users in September. OCLC is now targeting April-June 2000 to install the enhancements. Once the date has been finalized, it will be announced via an OCLC logon message of the day.

Accessions List to Be Electronic Only

OCLC's Accession List service has been redesigned, moving it from a paper, mail-delivery product to an electronic-only delivery product available via the Product Services Web. The new electronic list is in HTML format that can be either imported into a word processor for editing or mounted on an institution's Web page. The current print format will be discontinued after December 1999. Current subscribers will automatically move to the new electronic product, but do have the option to cancel. The new electronic service has several benefits. The electronic list:
  • Helps library staff inform patrons about new titles added to a library's collection.

  • Is produced automatically as a by-product of a library's OCLC cataloging process.

  • Is easily loaded into a word processor for additional formatting.

  • Is easily mounted on a library's Web site because it is already in HTML format.
The list is available semimonthly, monthly or quarterly. A library may choose coverage of the report for the following options, each with a different type of call number and/or secondary sort:
  • An entire institution.
  • All holding libraries.
  • Selected holding libraries.
All Cataloging Full-mode and Enhance-mode produces for each holding library are included in the report. A library can choose to include serials.

The following items are not included in an OCLC Accessions List:

  • Retrospective conversion items (materials cataloged by users in retrocon authorization mode).
  • Reclassified items (materials cataloged by users in reclass authorization mode). Records processed with an update transaction.
All other current options will continue to be supported. One difference to note is that the electronic list will not contain diacritics.

Pricing for this service is:

  • 140 or fewer items on the list $33 total.
  • 141 items or more $.25 per item.
If you are interested in signing up for this service, OCLC has made the order form available online at www.oclc.org/app/accessions. If you have any questions, contact Ann Morrow Schwab (aschwab@bcr.org) or Rosario Garza (rgarza@bcr.org) at BCR.

OCLC Announces Leap Day ILL Promotions

To celebrate Leap Day 2000 (February 29) and to encourage libraries to try some of the recently introduced ILL services, OCLC has announced a five-month Leap Day promotion of four OCLC ILL services:
  • ILL Fee Management.
  • ILL Direct Request.
  • Custom Holdings.
  • ILL Management Statistics.
During the promotion, libraries will receive postcards encouraging them to implement these services. OCLC is offering several incentives to encourage libraries' participation. They include:
  • A free month of ILL Direct Request.
  • A free month of ILL Management Statistics.
  • A $29 Leap Day credit on a library's OCLC monthly invoice.
To claim any of the incentives, member libraries must contact BCR no later than the 15th of the month in which the library staff is trying the service. For example, those signing up to try ILL Direct Request during January, should start using the service January 1. Contact Bonnie Robinson (brobinso@bcr.org) or Jan Campau (jcampau@bcr.org) at BCR no later than January 15. BCR will make sure the library doesn't get billed for ILL Direct Request activity for January.

To request the $29 Leap Day promotion credit, a library must inform BCR by the 15th of the month which of the four ILL services the library has implemented as part of the Leap Day promotion. The credit will appear as product code ILL4503 on the library's OCLC invoice from BCR. March 15, 2000, is the last day BCR will accept requests for these promotions.

Serials Union List Offline Products Now in Variety of Formats

Beginning with the Serials Union List Offline Products (SULOP) orders produced in March 2000, users will have four new delivery options to choose from. In addition to paper, microfiche and 1600bpi tapes, libraries will be able to request delivery via the following, listed with their respective prices.

    Product NameOCLC Number Cost
    6250bpi tapes SUL4121$37 per tape
    IBM cartridgeSUL4131$37 per cartridge
    EDXStandard EDX fees  
    and policies apply      		See current BCR Price List
    Product Services Web No charge for downloading files
The prices reflect the cost of the physical medium. The cost of the data on the tape will be identical to the cost of the current tape product and will use the same product codes:

    Per Title TapeSUL4401$.05 per title
    Summary Hold Tape  SUL4411  $.02 per statement
    Copy Hold TapeSUL4421$.03 per statement
If you have ordered SULOP printouts or tapes in the past, you will receive information about the new options with your next reorder notice. If you have questions, contact BCR's Bonnie Robinson (brobinso@bcr.org).

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