Welcome to WorldCat Local "quick start"

WorldCat Local™ "quick start" provides libraries an easy way to offer the basic functionality of the WorldCat Local service to patrons. WorldCat Local "quick start" is included with a WorldCat on FirstSearch subscription. This provides a library-branded view of WorldCat.org with your local library's holdings elevated to the top of search results.  Also included, depending on your other library services, is real-time item availability and location information; linking to your library's FullText OpenURL resolver and ILL OpenURL resolver; as well as local place holds.

What you should do to prepare

WorldCat Local pulls data from several sources and interoperates with many of your library's existing systems.  In order to maximize the effectiveness of your WorldCat Local "quick start", we strongly recommend that you ensure the following criteria are met:

• WorldCat Local "quick start" requires a WorldCat subscription to FirstSearch.
If you don't have one already, contact your OCLC sales representative at worldcatlocal@oclc.org.
• Make sure that the OCLC Control Number is consistently indexed (see note below) in your local MARC bibliographic records.  This is the matchpoint between WorldCat Local and your local system for retrieving real-time availability and placing local holds.
  
  Note: "Consistently indexed" means that the OCLC Control Number is indexed in the same field of all MARC records and is prefixed in a consistent way.  OCLC supports one custom prefix scheme (e.g. ocm/ocn or OCoLC).
  
  If the OCLC number is inconsistent in your local records, consider a batchload project to move the numbers to the same field with the same prefix in all of your records.
• Make sure that all your library's materials are represented in the WorldCat database. If your holdings in WorldCat are out-of-date, consider a batchload project to update them. Other processes that allow you to add data to the WorldCat database include:
  • eSerials Holdings®
  • Contract Cataloging™

Next steps

One of the values of WorldCat Local is that it connects different systems in order to provide a more integrated experience for users. To do this most effectively, WorldCat Local needs to be configured for how you do business, which requires some basic information from your library's staff.

• Examine your WorldCat Local "quick start".
• View recordings of previous webinars, or view the self-paced WorldCat Local tutorials to learn about the many ways you can customize the look and functionality of your WorldCat Local "quick start".
• View a recent WorldCat Local "quick start" Introductory webinar.
• Learn more about various batchload projects by viewing the Batchload Solutions for WorldCat Local webinar.

Register to begin your "quick start"

When you're ready to get started, please fill out the registration form to initialize the service. We'll get back to you to request any additional information we need to get the service up-and-running. The time required to activate the service for you will depend on your current ILS configuration.

Register to begin your "quick start"

When you're ready to get started, please fill out the registration form to initialize the service. We'll get back to you to request any additional information we need to get the service up-and-running. The time required to activate the service for you will depend on your current ILS configuration.