Raise your online visibility: Link to WorldCat.org

Connecting to this new resource will drive traffic to your site and help create a powerful, unified presence for libraries on the Web

By Alice Sneary

When you want to tell someone about a book you just read or suggest a resource to someone, consider using WorldCat.org. Plugging into WorldCat.org as an online reference source is easy to do and, with many people doing it, beneficial for the visibility of libraries on the Web.

Why link?

Gain users. More than 2 million users search WorldCat.org every month, where they connect to local library materials over 700,000 times. Linking to WorldCat.org helps get your library into that flow.

Broaden the discovery experience. Users want options—from editions to formats and languages. Plus, reviews, lists, tags and other social networking features on WorldCat.org enrich the experience.

Raise community visibility. From Web pages, blogs and Facebook profiles to course management systems and pathfinders—these links (especially from .edu and .gov addresses) improve rankings for library materials within commercial search engine results.

Linking into WorldCat raises visibility for your library’s resources as well as those of all libraries online. Linking to WorldCat keeps users connected WorldCat.org gives users a lasting connection with libraries—even when they graduate, move, change jobs or change locations. It helps keep them engaged through life stages and changes. So link in to WorldCat, to link people to libraries for life.

How to link

1. Link to a specific item (the Permalink). Look for the “Share It” box on a detailed record page. Click the “Link to this Page” and the URL will reset to a permalink—the OCLC number. Copy and paste the link. You can also link on the ISBN or ISSN, show all editions and limit by geography.
   Here’s how the URLs look, written out:
   http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/[item OCLC Number]
   http://www.worldcat.org/isbn/[item ISBN]
   http://www.worldcat.org/issn/[item ISSN]
   http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/[item OCLC Number]/editions
   http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/[item OCLC Number]&loc=[location]
   
   
2. Link to lists. Use WorldCat lists to recommend materials and promote new items. Book clubs and teens love WorldCat lists—the cover art helps readers recall and recommend resources. Academics build lists around disciplines and classes, too. Plus, faculty and students can be automatically notified when a new item of interest arrives through the new list-watching feature. Try peppering your lists in multiple places using RSS feeds, too. Interesting lists: 100 Best First Lines from Novels; Caldecott Winners; Economics at the Jason Library, DSU.
   
   
3. Link to identities. Still in beta, WorldCat Identities displays all of the works associated with your favorite authors, groups, artists and characters. You get to the WorldCat Identities pages from the details tab of a specific item in WorldCat.org.
   
   
4. Link to topical search results pages. Embed a keyword search on a subject, author or title like this:
   A few examples:
   http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=[keyword]
   http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au:[keyword]+[keyword]
   http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti:[keyword]+[keyword]
   
   
5. Display the search box and other widgets. Add the modular WorldCat search box to your online presence. Find it in the “Affiliates” section of the WorldCat.org page—and just copy and paste the provided HTML.

See examples of all the tips at worldcat.org.

Leveraging the power of WorldCat | Get your library on the go!