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BCR Guide to Altering OCLC
WorldCat Master Records

By Linda Gonzalez
Catalogers using OCLC WorldCat often have questions about what they may do to alter a WorldCat master record. Confusion is understandable, as several factors affect whether you may replace a master bibliographic record whether the record is full-level cataloging, what library input the record, what edits you make to it and what level of access your OCLC authorization number represents.

To address the last of those factors first, OCLC cataloging authorization numbers may have different capabilities associated with them. A "limited" mode authorization number may search WorldCat, edit bibliographic records, export them, put them in the save file, but cannot produce, update or replace them. A "full" mode cataloging authorization number can do all that a limited one can do and can also produce, update and in certain situations, replace master records. For a complete list of the various activities different modes of authorization numbers may perform, see section 1.4 of the OCLC Cataloging Service User Guide, online at www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/cataloging/userguide/1/1.htm#1.4. Members with CatExpress only cataloging access may not replace bibliographic records in WorldCat.

Perhaps the most important factor of all those impacting whether you can replace a record is the record's encoding level, found in the OCLC fixed field element labeled ELvl (position 17 of the leader in the MARC 21 bibliographic format). The code in this position reflects the fullness of the bibliographic record, which may be full, core or minimal.

With a full (or higher) level cataloging authorization, an OCLC user can replace most minimal-level bibliographic records (encoding levels K, M, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7). The exceptions are those records with an 042 field, for an authentication code from the Library of Congress, National Library of Medicine, Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) and CONSER (Cooperative Online Serials) cataloging participants. Some codes you may see in an 042 are lc, lcac, premarc and pcc.

OCLC's guidelines for upgrading minimal-level bibliographic records are in Chapter 4 of the Cataloging Service User Guide (www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/cataloging/userguide/4/4.htm) and in Chapter 5 of OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards (www.oclc.org/bibformats/en/quality/default.shtm). You should become familiar with those guidelines before attempting minimal-level upgrades. What is required of full-level, core-level (encoding level 4) and minimal-level records may be found in the OCLC Input Standards Tables, online at www.oclc.org/bibformats/tables/.

CONSER is a component of the PCC. CONSER members receive specialized training in serials cataloging. If a serial bibliographic record has been authenticated by a CONSER library (look for an 042 field), only another CONSER library may change it, no matter the encoding level of the record. CONSER members have CONSER- level authorization numbers in OCLC. Information on the CONSER program is at www.loc.gov/acq/conser/.

Serial bibliographic records are treated differently than non-serial records in OCLC. A serial bibliographic record may be replaced by anyone with a full level authorization as long as there are 10 or fewer holding libraries, and it's not been "CONSER authenticated." This ability is extremely helpful in the maintenance of serial records over time.

Though bibliographic records prepared as part of the Cataloging in Publication, or CIP, program, are minimal-level (and have an encoding level of 8), CIP records cannot be edited in the same ways as other minimal- level records may be. Since a full-level record is expected to replace a CIP record, any edit to the CIP record that would prevent the overlay of its full replacement cannot be made. Adding a 300 field (for the physical description) is allowed, however, as part of database enrichment.

Less access is given to change full-level bibliographic records. Database enrichment capabilities allow users to add certain fields and edit other fields in existing full-level records in WorldCat (except for CONSER authenticated serial records). Chapter 4 of the Cataloging Service User Guide also discusses some of the categories of database enrichment, but in the summer of 2002, OCLC expanded the types of edits considered database enrichment; OCLC Technical Bulletin 246 lists what those are and should be consulted for details (online at www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/tb/246/). Adding call numbers, subject headings and genre terms in schemes not already present in the record are among the types of edits that are considered database enrichment.

The most straightforward situation may be a library's own bibliographic records. With a full authorization, you may replace a full-level, nonserial bibliographic record input by your own library so long as no other library has attached holdings to it.

Documentation about the mechanics of actually replacing master bibliographic records exists for each OCLC cataloging interface:

To replace records outside of minimal-level upgrades, database enrichment, your own bibliographic records or non- CONSER authenticated serials with 10 or fewer holding libraries, it's necessary to become an OCLC Enhance participant. Enhance participants are given Enhance authorization modes, which allow them greater abilities to edit and replace master records in whatever format they are given enhance status. OCLC has strict requirements for the Enhance program, which has several levels in and of itself. The requirements may be found at www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/records/enhancerequirements/. Links to the application and training outline may be found at that site.

OCLC issues credits for some minimal-level upgrades, database enrichment edits and enhances. BCR members should consult the current BCR price list for the current credit amounts.

For questions or additional advice, please contact BCR's Linda Gonzalez (lgonzale@bcr.org), Regan Harper (rharper@bcr.org) or Rosario Garza (rgarza@bcr.org).

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February 27, 2008
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