A c t i o n f o r L i b r a r i e s — N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 0

OCLC Enhances CORC Service

By Ann Morrow Schwab

In early October, OCLC implemented several enhancements to the CORC (Cooperative Online Resource Catalog) service. Among them are a new user interface and the option to create and store multiple sets of constant data.

Changes to the CORC user interface include:

Revised login screens with new links that help users obtain technical support before they even log into CORC.

The addition of a slender header bar across the top of each CORC screen. CORC production and practice environments are distinguished by different colors and wording in the header bar.

New navigation bar graphics and minor revisions to the position of some options: "Home," "Help," "Contact" and "Exit." These options are now in the header bar across the top of each CORC screen.

The addition of color boxes to many screens to highlight input forms or search results.

CORC users may also now create and store multiple constant data records. This enhancement allows users to share constant data records with other staff in their own institution. Any user with an authorization number for an institution can search the institution's constant data file by constant data name to retrieve a specific constant data record or retrieve a list of all of the institution's constant data records.

In addition to the user interface and constant data enhancements, the CORC home page now offers a login greeting and displays the OCLC "Message of the Day" (also displayed in the OCLC Cataloging system). Two new features, "About CORC" and "Useful Links," offer helpful links to CORC-related information.

OCLC plans to implement the initial phases of URL checking and user notification of URL changes by the new year. The initial phase of updating headings in resource descriptions, which are linked to authority records, when the heading in the authority record changes, is also scheduled to be implemented by the new year.

For more information about CORC, contact BCR's Regan Harper (rharper@bcr.org) or Mike Wright (mwright@bcr.org).

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