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OCLC Open WorldCat Service
Opens Libraries' Collections to World

By Rosario Garza
Since early 2004, Web searchers have been able to discover the valuable resources of libraries with holdings in OCLC's WorldCat bibliographic database through OCLC's Open WorldCat program. What is Open WorldCat? The Open WorldCat program makes records of library-owned materials in OCLC's WorldCat database available to Web users on popular Internet search, bibliographic and bookselling sites. The result is more visibility on the Web for OCLC member libraries and access to their catalogs from the sites where many people start their searches for information.

People using search sites such as Yahoo! and Google can be directed to libraries when their search terms match materials represented in WorldCat. The results will say "Find in a Library:" and will link the user to a Web page where they can enter their zip code to get a list of libraries close to them that own the item. For example, using Yahoo, a search for the title Breaking the Code of Change results in the first item listed as available in a library. Click on the link and the resulting page includes cover art, information about the title and instructions to enter your zip code or state abbreviation. If you enter your zip code, you will get a listing of libraries that own the item, their distance from your zip code, location (city, state) and type of library.

Services such as Google and Yahoo! are linking to FirstSearch. Depending on what a library has included in the FirstSearch administrative module, users can be linked to information about the library (hours, branch locations, policies, etc.), the library's local system (e.g., your OPAC) and availability of information about the item itself (available or checked out).

Open WorldCat is a service available to all OCLC libraries that add holdings information to WorldCat and have an unlimited subscription to the WorldCat database in FirstSearch. Libraries can opt out of having their holdings information available through this program.

To learn more about the Open WorldCat service, visit the Open WorldCat Web site: www.oclc.org/worldcat/open/default.htm.

Interested in a subscription to WorldCat in FirstSearch? Contact Karen Graham (kgraham@bcr.org) or Rosario Garza (rgarza@bcr.org) at BCR for a price quote.

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OCLC Open WorldCat Service Opens Libraries' Collections to World

OCLC Open WorldCat Service
Opens Libraries' Collections to World