Overview

Contract Cataloging services solve your library’s cataloging challenges. We help you optimize your collection, manage your resources and provide improved service to your users. When you contract with OCLC Contract Cataloging, you partner with the most experienced cataloging professionals available today. It’s like instantly adding a team of experts to your staff—experts who care about your collection as much as you do.

There’s truth to the adage, “If a user can’t find it, the item isn’t really there.” The fact is, if your holdings aren’t up-to-date in WorldCat, or they’re missing from the OPAC, they’re all but invisible to your users. As an added value, your library holding symbol is set in WorldCat on items cataloged as part of your Contract Cataloging project. Your library holdings gain visibility on the Web through WorldCat.org and WorldCat Local, further enabling your users to discover content from your collections. And that means an increased return on the investment you’ve made in your library’s collection.

OCLC Contract Cataloging services help you streamline your cataloging workflows while dramatically improving your service to users.

Contract Cataloging is much more than a single service—it is a collection of expert, inter-disciplinary capabilities that are brought together according to your needs.

Our solutions are designed for your library, whether you require ongoing cataloging support or help with special materials. We work quickly, cost effectively and with little to no impact on your library’s daily operations and staff allocation.

What’s more, our cataloging professionals have extensive experience implementing cataloging projects for public, academic and special libraries of all sizes. The variety and extent of their cataloging experience translates into high-quality records for your collection.

New pricing model

OCLC Contract Cataloging services have always provided quality cataloging on a contract basis, but libraries previously may have been limited in their ability to use OCLC services for more routine items. Now however, with a new pricing model, you can select your preferred level of service—so that your materials are cataloged exactly the way you want them. Possible choices include:

Original cataloging (Abbreviated-, Minimal- or Full-level)
Record upgrading
Copy cataloging and record editing in desired local practices
Physical processing

Of course, we’ll work with you to determine the best option for your situation. The new pricing model also takes the material type (format and language) into account, because not all materials necessarily need to be cataloged to the same level of fullness or edited to the same specifications.

A better way to manage your current workload

Whether your library needs help with new acquisitions and ongoing cataloging, backlogs, gift collections, special formats or non-English materials, OCLC can help you at a lower cost than you might expect. Contract Cataloging shares your commitment to quality and attention to detail. Services include:

New acquisitions

Have new acquisitions shipped directly to OCLC for cataloging. Simply give your material vendors our address for shipments and we will handle the cataloging and physical processing for all of your new acquisitions.

Cataloging in all formats and languages

Our team of catalogers can help you with your routine, day-to-day materials as well as nonbooks and non-English language materials. OCLC catalogs materials in more than 60 languages and all formats (including DVDs, musical scores, maps and electronic resources).

Short-term fixes and ongoing cataloging support

A growing backlog of materials puts unnecessary stress on your staff and slows the pace of placing items on shelves. Let OCLC quickly eliminate your backlog by handling the cataloging for you.

Gift collection management and special projects

A sudden influx of new or unusual items, such as an unexpected gift collection, can tie up staff time and resources. OCLC will work with you to develop a plan for cataloging your gift collections and special projects.

Cataloging in more than 60 languages

Nothing is better than having your own in-house language experts, but that's just not a reality for most libraries. Let our language specialists help; we can catalog materials in more than 60 languages, including:

Afrikaans
Arabic

Belarusian
Bengali
Bosnian
Bulgarian

Catalan
Chinese
Church Slavic
Czech

Danish
Dutch

English

Finnish
French

German
Greek
Gujarati

Haitian Creole
Hebrew
Hindi
Hungarian

Indonesian
Italian

Japanese

Kazakh
Korean
Kurdish

Lao
Latin
Latvian
Lithuania