Library Catalog URL Response Details

The API response for Library Catalog URL requests will either be a Holding structure, or a "no holdings found" diagnostic if none of the listed OCLC symbols are represented as holding that item. The output of this response mirrors that of the Library Locations Response Details with two key differences is the meaning of values in the JSON format.

• Distance is given as zero.  When using the Library Catalog URL request for information on specific library OCLC symbols, the “Distance” value is always zero.    
• totalLibCount is the actual number of symbols within the request that have holdings information returned.  This is the number of holding libraries in this particular response -- NOT the total number of holders of that item.

Library location information can be displayed in two possible formats:

• XML
• JSON

XML Output format

The XML output form follows the ISO 20775 Holdings schema and includes the OCLC institution symbol, institution name, physical location, and links to online resources. For example:

<holdings xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso20775/N121_ISOholdings_v4.xsd">
    <holding>
        <institutionIdentifier>
            <value>OSU</value>
            <typeOrSource>
                <pointer>http://worldcat.org/registry/institutions/</pointer>
            </typeOrSource>
        </institutionIdentifier>
        <physicalLocation>Ohio State University Libraries</physicalLocation>
        <physicalAddress>
            <text>Columbus, OH 43210 United States</text>
        </physicalAddress>
        
        <electronicAddress>
            <text>http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/15550744?page=frame&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Flibrary.ohio-state.edu%2Fsearch%2Fi0026071800%26checksum%3D7d6636fe2c8564b1b3cca5743468a548&amp;title=Ohio+State+University+Libraries&amp;linktype=opac&amp;detail=OSU%3AOhio+State+University+Libraries%3AARL Library&amp;app=wcapi&amp;id=</text>
        </electronicAddress>
        <holdingSimple>
            <copiesSummary>
                <copiesCount>1</copiesCount>
            </copiesSummary>
        </holdingSimple>
    </holding>
    
</holdings>

JSON Output format

To access the JSON format simply use the same request pattern as XML Holdings Location request, but include a format parameter set to json. This will send back the response JSON format. You may choose to include a callback parameter or not. Requests for data in xml format should not include the format parameter

NOTE: Do NOT embed your WSKey in client side javascripts. This will make your key visible to end users. Keys which are exposed in this way will be reissued. We are working on changes to facilitate fuller use of the JSON output format.

The library location information in JSON includes very basic record metadata and basic holdings information. "Distance" value is always set to zero.  The "totalLibCount" is the actual number of symbols wihin the request that have holdings associated to that record.  This is only the number of holding libraries returned within the response.  It is not the total number of holders of that item.  The totalLibCount value provides the same type of information regardless of if the parameter for frbrGrouping is "on" or "off".  While not useful for a single OCLC symbol request, it may be of more use when requesting holdings for multiple OCLC symbols, in particular wihen the maximumLibraries parameter is set to 100.

{
    "title": "The Italian Americans",
    "author": "Schoener, Allon.",
    "publisher": "Macmillan",
    "date": "c1987.",
    "ISBN": [
        "0026071800",
        "9780026071802"
    ],
    "OCLCnumber": "15550744",
    "totalLibCount": 1,
    "library": [
        {
            "institutionName": "Ohio State University Libraries",
            "streetAddress1": "1858 Neil Avenue",
            "streetAddress2": "",
            "city": "Columbus",
            "state": "OH",
            "country": "United States",
            "postalCode": "43210",
            "opacUrl": "http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/15550744?page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Flibrary.ohio-state.edu%2Fsearch%2Fi0026071800%26checksum%3D7d6636fe2c8564b1b3cca5743468a548&title=Ohio+State+University+Libraries&linktype=opac&detail=OSU%3AOhio+State+University+Libraries%3AARL Library&app=wcapi&id=",
            "oclcSymbol": "OSU",
            "distance": "0"
        }
    ]
}