OCLC2007

News From OCLC
Compiled by Jay Weitz
For the Music OCLC Users Group and Music Library Association Annual Meetings
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2007 February 27-March 4

General News

OCLC Awarded Gates Grant to Develop Library Marketing Campaign

OCLC has been awarded a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for development of a potential national marketing campaign to increase awareness of the value of libraries, and the need for support for libraries at local, state, and national levels.  The $1.2 million grant will be used by OCLC to conduct research, develop strategies, create materials and test elements of a national marketing campaign to demonstrate the value of libraries, and the need to increase support for libraries to meet the changing needs and expectations of library users.  The project will aim to create a national campaign that can form an umbrella for regional- and local-level programs.  OCLC has selected Leo Burnett USA as the agency partner in the project.  Trends suggest that U.S. public libraries will find it difficult to adequately fund operations over the next 3 to 5 years—a period in which public libraries will come under increasing pressure to modernize programs, facilities and electronic infrastructure and offer more Internet-based services and electronic collections.  At the same time, studies indicate that most people are unaware of all the types of information and services libraries make available to their patrons.  Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources, a report issued in December 2005 based on Harris Poll findings, noted that U.S. residents do not have a current view of library services or technology offerings.  Most residents hold a nostalgic view of libraries, associating libraries overwhelmingly with "books."  While 99 percent of libraries now provide free Internet access and most provide electronic collections and online services, many residents are unfamiliar with these services and do not see libraries as providing services that fit with their current lifestyles.

Collections and Technical Services

Connexion Client 1.70 Release

Connexion client 1.70 is now available.  With client 1.70 you are able to:  Extract metadata for MP3 files; Search the authority history database; Use guided entry for fields 541 and 583; Search and automatically convert an invalid Chinese, Japanese, or Korean (CJK) character to a valid MARC-8 character; Transliterate Persian script; plus a lot more.  See the Connexion client recent enhancements page at http://www.oclc.org/connexion/interface/client/enhancements/recent.htm for more information and to download the software.  Among other new features and changes in Connexion client 1.70 are:

• Toolbar and menu changes:  The toolbar is redesigned. Besides the main client toolbar with buttons, a WorldCat quick search toolbar and quick tools for text strings and user tools are also displayed by default.
• Expanded OCLC Number/Field 035:  To accommodate the ongoing growth of the WorldCat database, OCLC will change the format of the 001 in OCLC MARC bibliographic records starting with OCLC record number 100 million.  For bibliographic records up to and including OCLC number 99999999, the 001 will continue to use the three character prefix (ocm), followed by an eight digit number, and a trailing space (e.g., ocm99999999).  Starting with record number 100000000, the prefix will be ocn, the number will be 9 digits in length and have no trailing space (e.g., ocn100000000).  All records exported include the OCLC control number in the 035 field.  See Technical Bulletin 253 for more detailed information.
• View the “Find in a Library” service at WorldCat.org from a displayed WorldCat record:  Use the screen to locate libraries that hold the work described in the current record and to link directly to library OPACs.
• Import text macros from RLIN21 into the Connexion client:  Open the import Text Strings window to select and import text macros from RLIN21 text macro files (*.ma9) into the client text string file.
• Thirteen digit ISBNs are now fully supported in WorldCat:  WorldCat records include both the 10 and 13 digit ISBN's in 020 fields.  If you enter one format, Connexion automatically adds the other format when you take a final action on your record.  See Technical Bulletin 253 for more information.
• Bengali and Devanagari script cataloging and searching are now supported:  Bengali script is used for Bangla, Assamese, and other languages.  Devanagari script is used for Hindi, Marathi, and other languages.
• Several changes and fixes to controlling headings have been implemented.
• “[CHILDREN’S]” label has been added to authority searching results.  Please note that the “[CHILDREN'S]” label is not presented when browsing the authority file.
• You may now search Authority LCCNs with or without a hyphen.
• Full-mode users have been enabled to add non-Latin scripts:  Full-mode users can add or change non-Latin script fields in full-level master records (e.g., Encoding Levels blank, I, L, etc.). Previously, an Enhance authorization was needed to perform these activities.  Connexion treats non-Latin script fields like other database enrichment fields such as call numbers, subject headings, contents notes, etc.

Note:  OCLC will discontinue client 1.60 on 2007 April 1.  This applies to users of the Windows-based Connexion client interface; it does not apply to users of the Web-based Connexion browser interface.

Bibliographic Formats and Standards Has Been Updated                                

OCLC’s Bibliographic Formats and Standards has been completely updated with information from recent technical bulletins.  The updated BFAS is now available from OCLC's Web site (http://www.oclc.org/bibformats/default.htm).  The updates include the following information from recent technical bulletins:

• TB 240:  Pinyin Conversion Project
• TB 241:  National Library Control Number Changes
• TB 242:  OCLC Symbol Expansion
• TB 244:  OCLC-MARC Format Update 2001
• TB 246:  Database Enrichment
• TB 247:  OCLC-MARC Format Update 2002
• TB 249:  OCLC-MARC Format Update 2003
• TB 250:  Parallel Records
• TB 251:  Connexion WorldCat Searching
• TB 252:  OCLC-MARC Format Update 2006
• TB 253:  ISBN and OCLC Number Changes

In addition to the material from technical bulletins, the first five chapters of BFAS have also been completely updated and revised.  The first five chapters are also available in Spanish, at http://www.oclc.org/bibformats/es/default.shtm.  On a related note, the revision of OCLC-MARC Records is currently under way.  An updated OCLC-MARC Records will be available in the near future.  The revision of BFAS remains ongoing and the printed edition is scheduled for the third quarter of 2007.  Printed copies of BFAS will be available for $40.00, plus shipping and handling.

Getty Vocabularies Added to OCLC Terminologies Service                         

OCLC and the Getty Research Institute (GRI) announced that the Getty Vocabularies—the Art & Architecture Thesaurus, Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names, and Union List of Artist Names—will be available through the OCLC Terminologies Service.  The OCLC Terminologies Service is a Web service that was recently launched to provide libraries, museums, and archives access to a variety of thesauri through a single interface.  It may be used as a standalone tool or may be used with different metadata editors, such as OCLC Connexion, CONTENTdm, or local systems.  The Getty Vocabularies are the premier references for categorizing works of art, architecture, material culture, and the names of artists, architects, and others.  Editors in the Getty Vocabulary Program, an operating program of the Getty Research Institute, continually monitor developments in the cultural heritage field to maintain thesauri with terms, names and other information about people, places, things, and concepts relating to art, architecture, and material culture.  To learn more about Getty Vocabularies, visit:  http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/vocabularies/.  The addition of the Getty Vocabularies will add three new thesauri to the OCLC Terminologies Service suite that includes Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) 2006; Thesaurus for graphic materials:  TGM I, Subject terms; Thesaurus for graphic materials:  TGM II, Genre and physical characteristic terms; Guidelines On Subject Access To Individual Works Of Fiction, Drama, Etc., 2nd ed., form and genre; Newspaper Genre List, and Dublin Core Metadata Initiative Type Vocabulary.  More information about the OCLC Terminologies Service is available at http://www.oclc.org/terminologies/.

CERL Hand Press Book Database to be Hosted by OCLC

The Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL) has announced that OCLC Online Computer Library Center will host the CERL Hand Press Book Database, a collection of more than 2 million catalog records from libraries representing items of European printing from the 15th century through the 1830s, the hand-press period, integrated into one database.  The CERL Hand Press Book Database is a unique and steadily growing catalog of European printing in the early modern era—from c. 1455 to c. 1830.  The resource integrates descriptive records for European national, university and research library holdings.  It is especially valuable for research in intellectual history, social history, and transmission of thought—as well as in the history of printing and the history of the book.  The CERL Hand Press Book database is integrated, making it possible for information to be retrieved in one single search across all files.  The database is of particular interest to librarians and any one else with academic pursuits across many fields of study that use early printed books as source material.  It may be accessed for information retrieval and downloading by CERL member institutions, their staff and users via OCLC in mid-2007.  In addition, OCLC will offer search facilities for subscribers outside Europe via the OCLC FirstSearch service.  The CERL Hand Press Book Database had been hosted by RLG since 1994.  In July 2006, RLG combined with OCLC.  More information about CERL and the Hand Press Book database can be found at: http://www.cerl.org/index.htm.

YBP Library Services Records Now Being Added to WorldCat                   

YBP Library Services, well-known as a major supplier of library materials for academic libraries is now adding records to WorldCat.  YBP, located in Contoocook, New Hampshire, provides books and supporting collection management and technical services to libraries around the world.  The titles are being added as part of the agreement between YBP’s parent company, Baker and Taylor, and OCLC, to partner to provide bibliographic records to libraries.  YBP’s product file is converted to MARC records that are then matched against WorldCat records through a batch process.  When a record is matched, YDXCP is added to field 040 subfield $d.  This indicates that fields 029 and 938 have been added to the matching record and contain YBP product data (YBP unique identifier, i.e., book number).  No other editing of records occurs as part of this process.  When no matching record is identified through the batch process, OCLC adds the YBP product record as a new record to WorldCat.  This record contains the symbol YDXCP in field 040 subfields $a and $c.  These records are very brief and are coded as abbreviated records (Encoding Level 3).  They are not created by or examined by a cataloger.  This provides customers using the new YBP/OCLC Cataloging Plus service with access to the OCLC number early in the acquisitions workflow.  OCLC encourages member libraries who acquire one of these titles to upgrade and replace the record and receive credit on your OCLC bill for upgrading that record.  As YBP catalogers are performing cataloging services for customers, they will also be upgrading these records.  This is an important feature of the OCLC/YBP/Baker & Taylor agreement.  In cases both of original records and matches, a 938 field is added to the MARC record that contains the vendor code YANK.  This code is indexed; vendor records are searchable using the vendor information keyword index.  For a list of all partners contributing records through the Vendor Record Contribution Program, see http://www.oclc.org/partnerships/material/contribution/technical/default.htm.

CatExpress Available in French                                                                                           

OCLC has translated one of its premier cataloging services, CatExpress, from English into French.  The easy-to-use, efficient, Web-based copy cataloging solution is now available in French, which will meet the need for multilingual programs for Canada's significant French population and other French-speaking nations around the world.  CatExpress requires minimal training and can be used by new staff members with ease, regardless of cataloging experience.  Unlike Connexion, CatExpress is much more abbreviated, which allows users to navigate and master the program without being familiar with the full Connexion cataloging system.  The system is recommended for smaller libraries needing basic copy cataloging for 250 to 7,000 titles.  CatExpress enables users to retrieve related records from more than 76 million records on WorldCat, the world's most comprehensive bibliographic database.
Resource Sharing, Contract Services, Collection Management

WorldCat Selection Service Helps Streamline Selection, Ordering                           

OCLC has released the new WorldCat Selection service to help libraries save time and money, streamlining selection and ordering by moving these processes to the network level for new library materials and delivery of the corresponding WorldCat records.  OCLC has partnered with Cornell University Library to implement the WorldCat Selection service based on software known as the Integrated Tool for Selection and Ordering at Cornell University Library (ITSO CUL).  The new service allows selectors to view records from multiple material vendors in one central comprehensive system, instead of using systems from each material vendor.  Libraries are also able to get WorldCat records for newly purchased materials into their integrated library system early in the technical services process.  The WorldCat Selection service automates the middle part of the acquisition workflow—the selection process.  Librarians still "select" materials, but the additional step to send items via paper slips or selecting items in multiple vendor systems is eliminated with WorldCat Selection.  Acquisitions staff automatically load WorldCat MARC records into the integrated library system, eliminating the need to re-key data or import data from multiple sources.  More information on the WorldCat Selection service can be found at www.oclc.org/selection.

WorldCat Collection Analysis Enhancements, Late 2006                

In November 2006, OCLC created eleven new Predefined Groups for subscribers of WorldCat Collection Analysis to compare their collections against.  The new groups are listed in the Administrative module on the Predefined Groups screen and are now available.  All of the newly created groups, except the ARL - Canadian Universities, are based on institutions listed in the US News and World Report's "2005 America's Best Colleges" and "2006 America's Best Graduate Schools" and are in the Conspectus area of Business and Economics.  The predefined groups in the area of Business and Economics are in the subjects accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems, international business, management, marketing, non-profit, production-operations, and supply chain-logistics.
In December 2007, WorldCat Collection Analysis began offering three additional new Predefined Peer Groups:

• HAPLR Public Library Rankings:  A list of the best Public Libraries broken-down by the population size they serve (i.e. 100-250K).
• Top US Nursing Programs:  A list of the best collections in Nursing subdivided by specialty (for instance, Mental Health Nursing).
• Google 9:  the nine institutions currently participating in the Google Book Project.

WorldCat Collection Analysis will continue to add Predefined Peer Groups to better enable subscribers to assess their collection and collection development policies.

CONTENTdm New Release is Now Available                                                                   

CONTENTdm 4.2 is now available.  This latest version of CONTENTdm Digital Collection Management Software delivers enhancements to the user interface and significant new features for documents, newspapers, letters, yearbooks, and other text-based items.  With the new CONTENTdm release comes several new features, including:

• For users working with the OCR Extension, CONTENTdm 4.2 has upgraded OCR capabilities.  These include an upgrade to ABBYY FineReader Version 8, support for 36 languages and dialects, warnings when images exceed standard A4 paper size, and the ability to OCR items that have previously been added to CONTENTdm collections.
• For users who have collections with searchable date data type fields, a date range search is available from the Advanced Search page.
• An option to configure search parameters for automatic hyperlinks in metadata is now available.  Search parameters can be set to search all collections or only the current collection as well as all fields or only the current field.  Additionally, a new configuration option allows you to display or suppress zoom and pan functionality by image file type.
• Changes in the Compound Object viewer provide additional options for viewing documents.  These include an option to toggle the left-hand navigation menu on and off when viewing items, a new location for the navigational thumbnail image in order to provide a larger viewing area, and a static zoom and pan toolbar which stays put when scrolling large images.  Additionally, the new viewer includes the ability to highlight and view individual articles within newspapers that have been specially processed to include article segmentation data.
• Compound objects queued in the Multiple Compound Object Add List are now persistent allowing users to close the Multiple Compound Object Wizard without losing items waiting for upload.  Additionally, new error recovery features in the Multiple Compound Object Wizard will let users complete a compound object build if an error interrupts the process.
• This latest release is free to all CONTENTdm users with a current Annual Maintenance Agreement and available for download from the CONTENTdm User Support Center (USC).  A complete feature list and PPT overview are also on the USC Web site at http://www.contentdm.com/USC/.  To learn more about CONTENTdm, please visit http://www.oclc.org/contentdm.

NetLibrary Offers Libraries New Purchase Option for eAudiobooks                        

NetLibrary has launched a new purchase model for its growing collection of eAudiobooks.  Librarians now have the option to add individual titles to their collections from leading publishers including Random House, Blackstone Audio, and many more to come.  In addition, librarians will still have the option to purchase a complete collection of eAudiobooks from Recorded Books through an annual subscription.  Librarians can choose from more than 2,000 eAudiobook titles from Random House and Blackstone Audio, including best-selling contemporary and classic fiction, page-turning mysteries, and many award-winning authors.  The Books On Tape collection from Random House includes bestselling and award-winning spoken-word material ranging from adult unabridged fiction and nonfiction, to children's eAudiobooks from Listening Library, to self-study foreign language programs from Living Language.  New releases are added to the catalog monthly.  Authors featured in the initial list from Books On Tape include:  Mitch Albom; Maya Angelou; Jane Austen; Ann Brashares; Libba Bray; Meg Cabot; Kate DiCamillo; Charles Dickens; William Faulkner; Sue Grafton; Carl Hiaasen; John Irving; Jonathan Kellerman; Dean Koontz; Lois Lowry; Mary Pope Osborne; Phillip Pullman; Anna Quindlen; Anne Rice; Louis Sachar; Jerry Spinelli; Danielle Steel; and Jules Verne, to name a few.  Bestselling titles from Blackstone Audio include:  The Civil War; Mere Christianity; The Aubrey/Maturin Series, Beyond Band of Brothers; Charlie Wilson’s War, and A Confederacy of Dunces, among many others.  Current releases include:  The Legend of the Wandering King, a CBC/NSTA Outstanding International Book for 2006; The Secret River, the 2006 Commonwealth Writer's Prize winner and a shortlisted title for the Man Booker Prize; The Sherlock Holmes Theatre, Blackstone Audio's 2005 Audie Award winner for Best Drama; The Prestige, winner of the World Fantasy Award; and many more.  Library users can search for, preview, download and listen to eAudiobooks through the NetLibrary platform via the Internet.  Users can download up to 10 high-quality, portable eAudiobooks, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  eAudiobooks will download or play on any desktop or laptop running supported media software programs and operating systems.  Users can also transfer favorite titles to a wide range of supported portable devices, including portable music players and portable media centers.  Users can gain access to the platform in a variety of ways, including through OCLC WorldCat, OCLC Open WorldCat, WorldCat.org, and directly from the NetLibrary platform.  To learn more about the new eAudiobook purchase model available through NetLibrary, and to view available titles, visit http://www.netlibrary.com/Librarian/Products/AbouteAudiobooks.aspx.

NetLibrary to Distribute Random House Titles as eAudiobooks                                 

NetLibrary has announced an agreement with Random House Audio Group to distribute Books on Tape, Listening Library and Living Language titles.  Librarians will be able to select from a growing catalog of more than 600 Books on Tape titles, with new releases added on a monthly basis.  Books on Tape Audio Group is a division of Random House, Inc., the world's largest English-language general trade book publisher.  The Books on Tape collection includes bestselling and award-winning spoken-word material ranging from adult unabridged fiction and nonfiction from Books on Tape, to children's audiobooks from Listening Library, to self-study foreign language programs from Living Language.  Librarians can pre-order Books on Tape titles now for delivery in February 2007.  NetLibrary will also waive access fees on purchase of all Books on Tape, Listening Library and Living Language titles made before March 31, 2007.  Authors featured in the initial list from Books on Tape include:  Mitch Albom; Maya Angelou; Jane Austen; Ann Brashares; Libba Bray; Meg Cabot; Kate DiCamillo; Charles Dickens; William Faulkner; Sue Grafton; Carl Hiaasen; John Irving; Jonathan Kellerman; Dean Koontz; Lois Lowry; Mary Pope Osborne; Phillip Pullman; Anna Quindlen; Anne Rice; Louis Sachar; Jerry Spinelli; Danielle Steel; and Jules Verne, to name a few.  Library users will be able to search for, preview, download, and listen to Books on Tape titles through the NetLibrary platform via the Internet.  Users can download up to 10 high-quality, portable eAudiobooks, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  eAudiobooks will download or play on any desktop or laptop running supported media software programs and operating systems.  Users can also transfer favorite titles to a wide range of supported portable devices, including portable music players and portable media centers.  Users can gain access to the platform in a variety of ways, including through OCLC WorldCat, OCLC Open WorldCat, WorldCat.org, and directly from the NetLibrary platform.  A complete list of titles available from Books on Tape can be viewed at: http://www.netlibrary.com/Librarian/Products/BooksOnTape.aspx.

NetLibrary Adds eAudiobooks from Blackstone Audio                                                  

NetLibrary now offers a selection of more than 1,600 classic, best-selling, and award winning eAudiobooks from Blackstone Audio.  Bestselling titles from Blackstone Audio include:  The Civil War; Mere Christianity; The Aubrey/Maturin Series, Beyond Band of Brothers; Charlie Wilson’s War, and A Confederacy of Dunces, among many others.  Current releases include: The Legend of the Wandering King, a CBC/NSTA Outstanding International Book for 2006; The Secret River, the 2006 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize winner and a shortlisted title for the Man Booker Prize; The Master, an IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and New York Times Notable Book; The Sherlock Holmes Theatre, Blackstone Audio’s 2005 Audie Award winner for Best Drama; The Prestige, winner of the World Fantasy Award; and many more.  Librarians will be able to select from a growing catalog of more than 1,600 Blackstone Audio titles, and order now for delivery in February 2007.  NetLibrary will also waive access fees on purchase of all Blackstone Audio titles made before March 31, 2007.  Library users will be able to search for, preview, download, and listen to Blackstone Audio titles through the NetLibrary platform via the Internet.  Users can download up to 10 high-quality, portable eAudiobooks, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  eAudiobooks will download or play on any desktop or laptop running supported media software programs and operating systems.  Users can also transfer favorite titles to a wide range of supported portable devices, including portable music players and portable media centers.  Users can gain access to the platform in a variety of ways, including OCLC WorldCat, OCLC Open WorldCat, WorldCat.org, and directly from the NetLibrary platform.  A complete list of Blackstone Audio eAudiobook titles is available at: http://www.netlibrary.com/Librarian/Products/Blackstone.aspx.

WorldCat.org Offers New Web Site and Search Box Features                                     

WorldCat.org, the Web site and search box that offers public access to the catalogs of libraries worldwide, has added new features and functionality that enhance the discovery experience and make it possible to customize the downloadable search box, search and find materials in Chinese, and link to libraries nearby via IP address location.  New features and functionality on the WorldCat.org site will be added continuously as the service continues to progress.  WorldCat.org allows Web users to search the catalogs of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide.  The WorldCat.org site offers a downloadable search box to allow access to the world’s largest resource for discovery of materials held in libraries.  Among the most recent enhancements to WorldCat.org:

• More visibility for evaluative content and Web resource links
• Faceted browse now allows user to expand search category options.
• New options for those who want to download the WorldCat.org search box.
• Chinese language added to the Find in a Library interface.
• Automatic geographic location code by IP address.

Try WorldCat.org from the site: http://www.worldcat.org/.  Find out more about the free downloadable search box:  http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/servlet/org.oclc.lac.affiliate.GetSearchBox.

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Last updated March 21, 2007