Interoperability

Worldcat Local interoperability-related frequently asked questions

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Interoperability: ILS | Interoperability: Authentication | Interoperability: OpenURL resolver/content management

ILS

• With which ILSs does WorldCat Local and "quick start" work?
  

  OCLC has completed integration of WorldCat Local with several integrated library systems, and continues to work on interoperability with other systems. WorldCat Local is currently active at libraries with the following systems:

  • Innovative Interfaces: Millennium, INNOPAC, INN-Reach
  • SirsiDynix: Horizon, Symphony, Unicorn
  • ExLibris: Voyager, Aleph
  • Axiell: OpenGalaxy Plus
  • Talis: Alto

  Expanded access to other ILSs will be added in phases.

  WorldCat Local supports a number of activities for authenticated users.

  WITH THESE TYPES OF ITEMS	USERS CAN PERFORM THESE ACTIONS	ON THESE SYSTEMS
  Returnable items including but not limited to books, CDs and DVDs	Place a hold	Innovative: Millennium, INNOPAC ExLibris: Aleph, Voyager SirsiDynix: Horizon, Symphony, Unicorn Axiell: OpenGalaxy Plus Talis: Alto
  	Request a selected item	WorldCat Resource Sharing™ OCLC ILLiad™ Innovative: INN-Reach OCLC VDX®* Voyager Universal Borrowing (shared catalog)
  Nonreturnable items, such as articles	Link to full text from FirstSearch or Electronic Collections Online™ Link to article full text through a library's OpenURL resolver via the OpenURL Resolver Gateway	N/A

  ^* Compatibility with this system is currently under development.

  Examples of WorldCat Local sites:

  • University of Washington
    (Innovative Interfaces Millenium)
  • Lincoln Trail Libraries System
    (SirsiDynix Horizon)
  • The Ohio State University Libraries
    (Innovative Interfaces INN-Reach)
  • University of Delaware Library
    (ExLibris Aleph)
  • Cornell University
    (ExLibris Voyager)
  • Indiana University
    (SirsiDynix Symphony)
• How does OCLC obtain circulation information from my ILS?
  

  Circulation information including item location, call number, status and OPAC links is retrieved from your local OPAC using screen scraping or Z39.50. The method used depends on information available to OCLC about your library's current services.

  WorldCat Local "quick start" and WorldCat Local communicate with ILSs using the OCLC control number in catalog records. For this reason, your library must index the OCLC control number in a consistent manner with consistent prefixes in order for the system-to-system communication to occur.

  Starting February 16, 2011, OCLC will store your local system bibliographic numbers when you do a batchload project as a way for WorldCat Local to communicate with your local system.

• How is shelf status displayed in an ILS shared by a group of libraries?
  
  During configuration, you may identify the locations that should be sorted to appear at the top of results lists in order to appropriately separate your library's holdings from the rest of the holdings in the shared catalog. Your staff will specify location names that will appear first in detailed record displays.

Authentication

• Will WorldCat Local use our library's authentication system for online services such as FirstSearch, or full text from non-OCLC electronic resources?
  
  Yes, WorldCat Local will include a link to your current authentication system for access to licensed content.
• Where does a library card fit into the WorldCat Local picture?
  
  WorldCat Local interoperates with existing circulation and interlibrary loan procedures. This means library users continue to use their existing library card(s) to obtain materials from their home library and follow library policies to use other delivery options such as interlibrary loan.
• At what point does WorldCat Local integrate user authorization?
  
  An authentication prompt will display to users at times when they need to complete authentication in order to take an action such as initiating an interlibrary loan request or linking to licensed online content. In addition, a link to user accounts can be configured to display within the interface for users who wish to log on at any time.
• Our users already create accounts in our ILS. Will they now have to create another or can we tie in to the user account?
  
  Users will need to create a WorldCat account in order to take advantage of features such as building lists or contributing content. The minimum requirements for a WorldCat account are name, password and e-mail address. This is a separate account and accesses different information than a user's ILS account.

OpenURL resolver/content management

• How will WorldCat Local work with our OpenURL resolver?
  

  Staff at your library can configure a link from WorldCat Local to your resolver in OCLC Service Configuration. If you have already set up the OpenURL resolver link in FirstSearch, you will find the process for establishing this link is similar. WorldCat Local links users to your OpenURL resolver at appropriate times within the search process.

  The WorldCat Local service does not access information in your resolver and deliver it through the WorldCat Local interface; rather, it links users to your resolver.

  WorldCat Local supports version 1.0 compliant Open URL resolvers.

  NOTE: It is essential for your library to add holdings information for its serials titles to WorldCat in order for WorldCat Local to appropriately display a link to your OpenURL resolver. You may wish to use the eSerials Holdings^TM service to streamline the work needed to add serials ownership information to WorldCat.

• How does WorldCat Local work with an A to Z list?
  
  You can configure a link to your library's A to Z list during implementation, but OCLC does not recommend doing this. Usability testing with WorldCat Local has shown that linking to your OpenURL resolver will provide a superior user experience.
• Can WorldCat Local be configured to work with repository systems in addition to CONTENTdm®, such as a Fedora repository?
  

  OCLC can harvest records from OAI repositories, crosswalk them to MARC format and load them directly into WorldCat where they become part of a user's search and discovery experience. This is how OCLC handles CONTENTdm and other digital collections.

  You may use the WorldCat® Digital Collection Gateway to manage the upload of your digital collection metadata into WorldCat.

• WorldCat Local
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