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

OCLC Update

By Rosario Garza

Toll-free Fax Available to Report Errors/Changes
OCLC's Quality Control Section is pleased to announce a new way to report errors in bibliographic and authority records.

Many errors or changes to records require that photocopies (proof) of the item be attached to the request. Previously, these were sent via the U.S. Postal Service, but that's no longer necessary. OCLC's Quality Control section now has a new toll-free fax number, (866) 709-6252, that allows member libraries to submit a change request along with the photocopies of the item for bibliographic and authority record errors.

Member libraries may still send paper change requests via the U.S. Postal Service outlining the changes and including the necessary proof of the item. Blank copies of the master forms are found in Chapter 5, Bibliographic Formats and Standards. The requests can be faxed to the number listed above or mailed to:

OCLC Online Computer Library Center
6565 Frantz Road
Quality Control Section MC 745
Dublin, OH 43017-3395

OCLC offers several methods for members to report errors on records that do not require proof. Libraries may use any or all of these methods depending on their own preferences and the types of errors involved.

Online Error Reporting: Full-cataloging members can use the error command (err) to electronically send error reports directly from the bibliographic record if the change does not require additional proof from the item. To do this, retrieve the bibliographic record that contains the error, and type a free-text message describing the error in field 952. Send the record to OCLC by either typing the command err at the Home position and pressing <F11> (Passport users) or selecting report error from Action menu (Cataloging Micro Enhancer, Arabic software users). Delete the 952 before taking final action (produce, update, export, transfer) or the field will appear on your tapes and archival records.

E-mail: You can send an e-mail message about bibliographic errors or duplicates that do not require proof from the item to bibchange@oclc.org. For reporting authority record duplicates or errors that do not require proof, send an e-mail message to authfile@oclc.org.
Web Forms: You may want to have a bookmark in your Web browser for the different Web forms. The addresses are: www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/bibchg.htm for bibliographic record changes; www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/bibdup.htm for duplicate bib records; www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/autfil.htm for authority record changes.

OCLC does not routinely acknowledge the receipt of error reports or requests for change and reserves the right to process the reports at its discretion. For more detailed explanations of the methods and a fuller discussion of OCLC's quality control process, please consult Chapter 5, Bibliographic Formats and Standards.

Shareware Available for ILL Management Statistics
With special thanks to Cyril Oberlander and John Clarke at Portland State University, OCLC has posted a Microsoft Access template that provides sophisticated reports from the data provided in the OCLC ILL Management Statistics.

Staff at libraries that have purchased a subscription to the OCLC ILL Management Statistics and who have knowledge of Microsoft Access will find this template of great value. Please note that this template is offered as shareware. OCLC will not provide UNS support for it.

Libraries can download the template at: www.oclc.org/oclc/ill_mgmt_stats/reportmc.htm.

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