A c t i o n f o r L i b r a r i e s — A u g u s t 2 0 0 0

OCLC Update

By Rosario Garza

CatExpress Bulletin Board Now Available
OCLC staff members have created a CatExpress Bulletin Board. Designed to help current and new users, the bulletin board provides tips and tricks for using CatExpress, all arranged under 10 topics that range from local system issues to tips on managing work flow. All CatExpress users are encouraged to add information to the bulletin board. You can check out the current tips and tricks at www.oclc.org/oclc/cataloging/catexpress/bboard/index.htm.

Global Resource Sharing Access Form Created
Any library wishing to participate in the OCLC Global Sharing Program must complete an application and agreement form now available at www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/gac.htm.

OCLC formed the Global Sharing Program to foster international resource sharing. By formalizing rules for borrowing and lending beyond state and national boundaries, the new program makes it easier for participants to identify lending partners around the world and to process international ILL transactions. Fewer blind requests for materials are found providing broader access to global materials, higher ILL fill rates and faster turnaround time. It also offers controlled costs through the OCLC ILL Fee Management service, which streamlines the invoicing process.

OCLC requires libraries in the Global Sharing Program to:

Use OCLC ILL Fee Management as their sole payment method.
Use fax or Internet document delivery as their only delivery method for nonreturnable materials.
Use airmail or courier as their only delivery method for returnable materials.
Lend to all participants in the group.

For more information contact Bonnie Robinson (brobinso@bcr.org) at BCR.

New Participating Institutions List
Recent enhancements to the OCLC Participating Institutions (PI) list on the Web included removing the limits to the number of groups that will display in response to a query. Previously if a library belonged to more than three GACs, ULs or GAC/ULs, its affiliation to additional groups would not be retrieved by a search. For example, a search on LVIS would not have returned a complete list of libraries in LVIS since many libraries belong to three or four other groups. With the recently introduced enhancements, libraries can now retrieve the complete list of any group profiled by OCLC. This applies to both OCLC Participating Institution interfaces:

Standard PI: www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/pisearch.htm
PI for Custom Holdings: www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/pisrch3.htm

Check out the new search features. If you have questions, contact BCR's Bonnie Robinson.

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