1) The document provides an introduction to WorldCat, the world's largest bibliographic database maintained by OCLC, including its structure, contributing methods, cataloguing clients, formats and standards, quality control processes, and tools. 2) It discusses how matching and merging of records is done in WorldCat, focusing on factors like title, publisher, and extent that are considered to determine if records should be merged. 3) The presentation concludes by answering questions from attendees about issues like retaining records without holdings, data standards for integrating museum library collections, and searching capabilities in WorldCat.

1. CIG 2018, Edinburgh
Paul Shackleton
Everything you always
wanted to know about
WorldCat (but were
afraid to ask)
Senior Database Specialist, OCLC UK

2. A quick introduction to WorldCat:
• Background and the basic idea
• Tools and services
• Quick access to key information
• Your chance to ask questions
Aims and Objectives

3. Paul Shackleton:
• Librarian/Systems administrator
• Not a cataloguer (but I have catalogued)
• With OCLC for over 4 years, based in Sheffield
• Specialist in loading and updating data in
WorldCat, including migrating library
collections to WorldShare
Introductions

4. Global, nonprofit library cooperative
5 data centers 70,000+ libraries
17 offices 170+ Countries

5. The world’s largest and most
consulted bibliographic database
• 2.6 Billion holdings
• 425 Million bibliographic
records
• Collective of collections
Free to use - worldcat.org

6. • De-duplicated, single Master Record model
• ‘Duplicates’ permitted for:
– Different cataloguing language
– Different Editions
– Different Formats
• Unique/local information should not be added
to a Master Record
• ‘Set Holdings’ – a flag saying ‘I have this’
WorldCat structure

7. • Registered libraries are assigned a unique
symbol, 3 or 5 characters long
• Each library has a Registry record
• Registry records should be maintained via
Service Configuration
WorldCat structure

8. OCLC number:
• Unique to each bibliographic record and
trusted
• Stored in WorldCat in the 001 but distributed
in the 035
• Prefixes – om, on, (OCoLC)
• Old OCNs never die, stored in the 019 and
indexed
WorldCat structure

9. 1. Interactive cataloguing using one of our
cataloguing clients
2. Bulk upload of additions and deletions via
data sync
Contributing to WorldCat

10. 1. Connexion client
2. Connexion browser
3. Record Manager
4. Z39.50
5. Metadata API
You can export records with any of these clients.
Cataloguing clients

11. • Old school client software, Windows only
• Seriously powerful – batch functions and bulk
editing and setting/removing of holdings for
up to 9999 records at a time
• Online and offline save files to aid workflow
• Direct integration with your ILS via TCP/IP or
OCLC Gateway
• No access to local data
Connexion client

12. • Web based: http://connexion.oclc.org/
• Shares the online save file with Connexion
client
• Access to Local Holding Records (LHRs)
• No batch/bulk options
Connexion browser

13. • Part of the WorldShare platform, a web
browser based application
• Limited batch options and the place for future
developments
• Supports LHR records and local bibliographic
data (LBD)
• Got a cataloguing subscription? ask UK support
for access to Record Manager
Record Manager

14. • Old school but probably the most popular
method of accessing WorldCat in the UK
• Direct integration with your local system
• In June extended services were implemented
to allow for the deletion of holdings – ask your
system supplier about implementing this so
you can update WorldCat when you delete a
record or the last item in your system.
Z39.50

15. • Build your own interface with WorldCat
• Add and edit bibliographic records
• Set and delete holdings
• Add and edit LBD records
• Open to all with a cataloguing subscription
• Available to all via MARCEdit
• Any organisation can build tools with the API
Metadata API

16. • Send records via sFTP or Collection Manager
• Complete collection load = reclamation
• Send updates – additions, amendments and
deletions
• Own record replace
• Field transfer for record enhancement
• Adding records is optional
• Add security to your collections and access
Bulk upload via data sync

17. • Part of WorldShare metadata management
• Upload and download records and reports
• Receive WorldCat updates for record changes
• Manage e-resources and MARC record delivery
• Rolled out to all Ebsco customers for MARC
record delivery
• Query collections allow targeted selection and
delivery of records
Collection Manager

18. • MARC 21 only for now, can export in MARCXML,
Dublin Core and MODs
• Manuals for bibliographic, LHR and authority formats
• Bibframe is actively supported and developed by
OCLC
• AACR2, hybrid and RDA compliant records supported
• Records are being upgraded to include 3XX data
Formats and Standards

19. • Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) records are
protected but can be enhanced, indicated by 042 $a
pcc
• Library of Congress bibliographic and authority
records are synchronised on a daily and weekly basis
• QC department is dedicated to maintaining quality
• Duplicate Detection and Resolution (DDR) software
constantly seeks and removes duplicate records
• Request changes via bibchange@oclc.org
Quality Control

20. • FRBR clustering has been implemented within workid
groups
• This clustering is visible in the editions and formats
grouping in WorldCat and Discovery
• Subfield $0 has been implemented in authorities in
preparation for linked data triples
• More authority record sets are being added
• Classify – find call numbers based on WorldCat data
• Command line searching – highly addictive
Tools and good to know

21. • Support UK: support-uk@oclc.org
• Community Centre:
https://www.oclc.org/community/home.en.html
• Help pages: https://help.oclc.org/
• Training: https://help.oclc.org/Librarian_Toolbox
Support and Training

22. Q. Is it OCLC policy to retain Bib records in WorldCat if
there are no library holdings attached to them?
A. No, but you can request that individual or groups of
records be deleted by contacting QC. However we do
sometimes clean up after particular projects, such as a
WMS migration where we know that the old records,
not matched by the load, will no longer be needed.
Your Questions

23. Q. We are currently integrating around 45,000 items
across 6 museum libraries and I would be interested in
knowing more about data standards & formats.
A. If your catalogue originates from multiple source
catalogues, and has duplicate bib records, setting
holdings in WorldCat as part of a group project can help
you get a de-duplicated view of your holdings and the
spread of copies across your sites.
Your Questions

24. Q. How the matching and merging of records is done,
and what factors are taken into account with particular
emphasis on differences in the 245 (especially the $c
field), the 260/264, and 300 fields and to which extend
these can prevent a record from matching.
Your Questions

25. Matching:
• Every record in WorldCat has a set of
‘fingerprints’ (aka ‘keys’)
• Every record ingested has a set of fingerprints
generated and these are used to compare with
existing fingerprints to find candidates for
matching
Your Questions

26. Matching:
Data elements used as the primary source of retrieval and comparison for
matching include, but are not limited to the following:
• Standard Numbers including OCLC Numbers, ISSN, and others.
• Material Types
• Dates of Publication
• Language of Cataloging
• Title
• Author
• Edition
• Publisher
• Extent
Your Questions

27. Matching:
• Process is iterative, bibliographic Kerplunk!
• Certain data elements carry a higher weighting but can be invalidated by
certain criteria, such as an OCN matching a record that has a different
language of cataloguing or record type.
• The fingerprint matching is initially ‘fuzzy’ to allow a closer analysis of a set
of candidates.
• All elements of a record’s core description, including some 5XX notes fields
under certain circumstances, are always evaluated.
• Completeness is key.
• If in doubt the record is added, then Duplicate Detection and Resolution
(DDR) will evaluate the record again.
Your Questions

28. Q. As some cataloguers have been downloading foreign
agencies’ records and editing them and turning them
into English, is there going to be any issue in the
matching procedure if the ocn number in the 035 field
of the downloaded record remains? Does this point to
the foreign record?
A. No, the mismatch of language and OCN will prevent a
match, the 035 will be removed and either a correct
match will be found or the record will be added. Always
remove the OCN when copy cataloguing.
Your Questions

29. Q. I would like to understand how the indexes help in
searching for item, particularly non standard search
outside the usual of author/title/date.
A. See the help pages for indexes:
https://help.oclc.org/Librarian_Toolbox/Searching_Worl
dCat_Indexes
Your Questions

30. Can I search for instance for all engravers in my
Collections, if I have used the $eengraver for
engravers?
Yes, using the rx index which indexes
relationship, e.g. li:yt1 AND rx:engraver
Your Questions

31. Can I search for materials from a date range (Particularly
when dates look like: 18—, 165? , or between 1849 and
1853), or for works by language (English, German...), or
for country of publication (taken from the 008/15-17),
for items with illustrations etc.?
Yes you can refine searches with qualifiers:
yr:201?
/1914-1918
la:ger (this is a default facet in most WorldCat clients)
Your Questions

32. Q. I would like to know if when a library matches
its data to OCLC, if at the same time all headings
can be batch authorised with equivalent LC
headings.
A. Yes, software was introduced in 2012 to
automatically control headings in records when
new records are added and retrospectively.
Your Questions

33. Any more questions?
Your Questions

34. Explore. Share. Magnify.
Paul Shackleton
Senior Database Specialist
paul.shackleton@oclc.org
0114 267 7569