This document discusses using the WorldCat Knowledge Base to catalog ebooks from multiple vendors. It describes the challenges of varying ebook metadata workflows across different vendors. The WorldCat Knowledge Base provides a centralized way to retrieve new, updated, and deleted record notifications in one place. This allows for a more efficient cataloging workflow compared to dealing with individual vendors. Benefits include OCLC numbers, consolidated access to records, and increased discoverability. The presenter advocates a phased approach and notes ongoing improvements to the WorldCat Knowledge Base.

1. E-book Cataloging Using
the WorldCat
Knowledge Base
Charleston Conference
Nov. 8, 2012
Holly Tomren
@htomren

2. Institutional context:
 III,
Summon
 About 150,000 ebooks
 About 20 ebook
providers, multiple
collections
 Small staff
 Individual cataloging for most packages
not feasible; look for batch solutions

3. Ebook metadata
 Different providers = different workflows
 Different frequencies
 Notifications are rare
 Not all vendors provide MARC records
 Quality of vendor MARC records varies
 Not all vendors provide info about
changed records (UPD, DEL)
 Few provide OCLC numbers/holdings

4. Workflow: Varies by Vendor
 Example A: WorldCat Collection Set;
monthly email notification, retrieve via
FTP; NEW only, no UPD or DEL
 Example B: generate files on demand
from web interface; separate NEW and
DEL files; not OCLC records
 Example C: generate file on demand
from web interface; 1 mixed file (NEW &
DEL); no control numbers, no match point

5. Workflow: Varies by Vendor
 Example D: generate file from web
interface based on date; no DEL
notifications
 Example E: provides records through
multiple sources but coverage different in
each source; lots of cleanup, bad links
 Example F: updates collection
constantly, but MARC records only once
a year

6. Workflow: Varies by Vendor
 Example G: provides records and
notification; OCLC numbers not in records
but in separate spreadsheet
 Example H: No MARC records; title
spreadsheet available
 Example I: No MARC records, no title list;
check website manually

7. Sometimes looks like this…

8. Tools of the Trade
 MarcEdit
 Excel
 Local scripts
 Load Profiles (III)
 Global Update (III)
 Listservs
 MARCEDIT-L
 BATCH-L

9. WorldCat Knowledge Base
 Currently only using for ebooks, not
ejournals
 3 phase approach to implementation:
 1: Collections that have no MARC record
source – replace manual workflows
 2: Collections with especially “challenging”
MARC record workflows
 3: Collections with reliable MARC
records, but want to consolidate sources

10. WCKB Workflow
 Select collections in KB, set up MARC
customization options (one time)
 Daily record notifications via email
 Download files via FTP
 Clearly identified NEW, UPD, DEL
 Separate with MarcEdit if necessary
 Load records without editing
 Minimal spot checking, comparison

11. WCKB Benefits
 Retrieve records for all providers in one
place, including NEW, UPD, DEL
 Notification – no more elaborate schedules
 Customizable records – less in-house editing
 URLs are correct
 Efficient way to manage provider-neutral
records
 OCLC holdings set, OCLC numbers included
 Free with OCLC cataloging subscription

12. Greater Discoverability
 Worldcat.org, WorldCat Local
 Anything powered by WorldCat API
(Mobile apps, Google “Find in a Library,”
Selection tools, LibX, etc.)

13. WCKB Wishlist
 Improved record matching
 More ebook collections in KB, better
coverage
 “Expert Community” functionality
… all of this is on the way

14. Conclusion
 More efficient workflow
 More thorough and accurate access to
ebooks in our catalog & discovery tools
 Still a combination of WCKB + other
methods for now, but will move more
ebooks to WCKB as time goes on

15. Thank you!
Holly Tomren
Head, Metadata Services
Drexel University Libraries
holly.tomren@drexel.edu