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WorldCat Local : Overview : Metasearch

Metasearch

Metasearch in WorldCat Local combines a central database index with a search of non-OCLC content indexed remotely. This gives participating libraries a fast, efficient way to search across a wide range of popular, authoritative content from many sources. Users also get the items they need more quickly through a variety of smart delivery options. The metasearch option is available to all libraries that subscribe to WorldCat Local at no additional charge.

A new approach to metasearch

WorldCat Local metasearch represents a new approach for consolidated access to library resources. WorldCat Local libraries can now leverage the depth of WorldCat and the feature set in WorldCat.org with access to licensed content from familiar providers. Users will save time and make more use of resources libraries provide for them.

The foundation of this service—the WorldCat database—relies on the historic and ongoing work of OCLC member libraries. WorldCat holds all the data needed to present rich, specific, local views of library resources in WorldCat Local. Users can search more than 140 million library items and a growing number of article databases with access to more than 66 million article records. That currently includes materials from the ArticleFirst, MEDLINE, ERIC, British Library Inside Serials, and now article-level records from Elsevier.

Since mid-2009, users of WorldCat Local and WorldCat.org have also been able to search content in OCLC electronic resource services from the single search box to retrieve an integrated set of multi-format results.

Now, WorldCat Local metasearch brings it all together by adding content from non-OCLC sources to the picture, giving libraries a full-featured way to easily connect information seekers with the materials they need.

WorldCat Local combines access to a central index and remotely-indexed databases to deliver an integrated set of results to users.

WorldCat Local combines access to a central index and remotely-indexed databases to deliver an integrated set of results to users.

User input drives ongoing database additions

OCLC’s metasearch feature in WorldCat Local enables libraries to expand single-search access of databases indexed centrally to include a search of materials in remotely-indexed services from well-known providers that include Chadwyck-Healey, CSA, EBSCO, ProQuest and Wilson. The number of services available through remote index searching will continue to expand based on requests from the WorldCat Local community. OCLC’s ultimate goal is to consolidate access to as many core library resources as possible through a single WorldCat Local interface, with central indexing for the majority of content sources.

How it works

The WorldCat Local metasearch is available to all libraries that subscribe to WorldCat Local at no additional charge. Library staff can log on to the Service Configuration module to enable access to those databases they wish to surface to authenticated users. In Service Configuration, staff members select the “Licensed Content and Databases” section and then “Add/Remove databases.” From lists of OCLC and non-OCLC licensed databases, they choose the databases that will display to users in WorldCat Local Advanced search. In the Service Configuration module, non-OCLC databases display with their content provider name, followed by the name of the database:

Non-OCLC licensed databases

Authentication

WorldCat Local requires authentication in the form of credentials for searching remote indexes. “Credentials” are the access names, codes or numbers assigned by content providers for access to their resources. They typically include data such as username and password or authorization number and password.

Library credentials are entered in the Service Configuration module at the library level so that users authenticated to use a library’s licensed resources can see and search them without a separate logon requirement.

OCLC plans to add authentication via IP address as a future enhancement.