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WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway

Getting started

The WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway is a Web-based tool that enables organizations to upload the metadata of their digital content to WorldCat. It is compatible with all OAI-compliant repositories, such as CONTENTdm, and is available at no charge.

Repository managers with OAI-compliant repositories can get started uploading their metadata to WorldCat by following the steps below.

CONTENTdm users should follow the steps outlined in the CONTENTdm User Support Center (login required), which has information specific to CONTENTdm.

Step 1: Learn to use the Gateway

Read the tutorial, attend a live Web session, or view a recorded Web session to learn how to use the Gateway to upload your metadata to WorldCat.

Step 2: Enable your OAI repository and prepare your metadata

Use the Help files and documentation from your local repository to enable your OAI repository. Make a note of the “Base URL” of your OAI repository in order to register it in Step 4.

Read about best practices for sharing metadata so you are aware of the issues that might affect your metadata as you begin to share it outside the context of your local digital repository.

Step 3: Register your institution to use the Gateway

The Gateway is available at no charge to those institutions that contribute their metadata to WorldCat.

Go to the Gateway registration page.

Screen capture: Digital Collection Gateway registration

On this page, enter information about your institution. If you don't know your OCLC symbol, please leave this box blank.

Once you click on "Register" this information will be sent to OCLC. In a few days you will be sent a welcome e-mail that will include user credentials, so you can login to the Gateway, and a Gateway account so you can add additional users.



Gateway accounts are provided at no charge to those organizations that contribute their metadata to WorldCat.

Step 4: Log on to the Gateway and start uploading

Once you have received your Gateway user credentials, you can log on to the Gateway and begin uploading metadata to WorldCat from your OAI repositories.

More information for metadata contributors ››

If you have questions or need assistance with this process, please contact support@oclc.org.

We are a worldwide library cooperative, owned, governed and sustained by members since 1967. Our public purpose is a statement of commitment to each other—that we will work together to improve access to the information held in libraries around the globe, and find ways to reduce costs for libraries through collaboration.