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WorldCat Help
See more FAQs:
Detailed item records
- I don't see any library options in the "Get It" section of a WorldCat record. Why is this?
- How do I find a different edition of an item?
- Can I bookmark a WorldCat record?
- How do I get the "permalink" for a WorldCat record?
- What are the ISBN, ISSN and OCLC numbers?
- What are the "Services from..." links I see beneath the WorldCat record for a specific item?
- Can I create a record for my book (video, article, etc.) in WorldCat?
- I found a WorldCat record that is missing a cover image. Can I upload an image if I have that item?
- Can I use cover images found on WorldCat for my own Web site?
- I found a record for an item that is not owned by any WorldCat libraries. Why is this?
- What is the "Bookmark" button shown in the "Share It" section of a detailed record?
I don't see any library options in the "Get It" section of a WorldCat record. Why is this?
WorldCat.org is able to present a link to the catalog of your local WorldCat-participating library, but only when you are using the site from physically within that library, or are on a recognized Internet connection such as a campus-wide network.
If you haven't done so, use the "Libraries" tab beneath the detailed record to find a participating library near you that owns the item. Listings in those library results will often link you to a library's Web catalog record, where you'll see options for obtaining the item.
How do I find a different edition of an item?
Click either the "Other Editions" link within the WorldCat record, or the "Editions" tab beneath the record, to see other versions of the item. For books, these may include other printings from different publishers, or the same work in a different format such as electronic book or an audiobook on tape or CD.
Can I bookmark a WorldCat record?
Yes, you can add a WorldCat record to your browser's Favorites. Click the "Add This Page to Favorites" link at the lower left of the WorldCat detailed record, just below the list-building tool labeled "Save to:".
How do I get the "permalink" for a WorldCat record?
A "Permalink" or permanent link is a simplified URL (the "http://" address) for a Web page that is designed to be short and easily interpreted (or "human-readable"). Permalinks for WorldCat detailed records utilize the "OCLC Number," an identifier created when the item is first cataloged in WorldCat by one of our member libraries.
The permalink for a WorldCat record is labeled "Link to this Page" and is located at the bottom of the record, next to the "Add This Page to Favorites" bookmarking link. Copy this URL for use in e-mails, blog posts and other Web-based communications.
What are the ISBN, ISSN and OCLC numbers?
A WorldCat record will include at least one of these numbers used to identify a particular item. ISBNs and ISSNs are internationally recognized standard numbers: A 10 or 13-digit ISBN is assigned to books, and an 8-digit ISSN is assigned to a print or electronic serial publication (often referred to as "periodicals") such as a magazine or scholarly journal. Typically, ISBNs will appear on a book's jacket as part of the UPC barcode and again on its copyright page. ISSNs may appear on a periodical's cover or within its "masthead," the box listing editorial staff and contact information.
An OCLC Number is the identifier assigned to an item when it is first cataloged by a WorldCat member library. It is also a key component of the simplified permanent URL or "permalink" for a WorldCat record. You can learn more about constructing WorldCat links using OCLC Numbers, ISBNs and ISSNs.
Many items cataloged in WorldCat may have both an international standard number and an OCLC number.
What are the "Services from..." links I see beneath the WorldCat record for a specific item?
If you see a zone titled "Services from [library name]" beneath any WorldCat detailed record, it means you are using WorldCat.org from physically within your library or are on an Internet connection (such as a campus-wide network) that is recognized by your library.
The links presented in that zone represent services in your library that are available for the displayed item. These linked services may include:
- A request form through which you ask the library to obtain the item from another library in its resource sharing (also called "interlibrary loan" or "ILL") network
- The full text of an article from a research database, or a list of full-text options
- Lookup for the item in the catalog of a larger library group (or "consortium") to which your library belongs
- A document delivery service
- The full-featured WorldCat record for the item within FirstSearch, a search interface your library may offer
- The library's "Ask a Librarian" service
If you can see this zone, it is also likely that a "Search my library" link appears just above it in the "Get It" section of the detailed record. Click this link to search your library's local catalog for the item.
Can I create a record for my book (video, article, etc.) in WorldCat?
No. The records in WorldCat are compiled in accordance with U.S. and international standards by cataloging professionals in our member libraries. You should encourage your nearest WorldCat library to add your book to its collection, or work with your publisher to submit information about it to WorldCat.
I found a WorldCat record that is missing a cover image. Can I upload an image if I have that item?
No. WorldCat does not presently provide a way to contribute graphics for this purpose. Due to U.S. and international copyright law, cover images displayed on WorldCat must originate from a content supplier who has obtained the necessary legal clearances for this type of use.
Can I use cover images found on WorldCat for my own Web site?
No, just as copyright laws prevent you from using electronic images from bookseller or photo-sharing Web sites. Any content found on WorldCat.org, or any content on the Web sites of our member libraries that you have discovered via WorldCat search results or records, is the property of OCLC, its content suppliers or its member libraries, and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. Content on other public Web sites linked to from WorldCat records, such as an author's home page, may also be protected by these laws.
I found a record for an item that is not owned by any WorldCat libraries. Why is this?
Some items in WorldCat may no longer be owned by any member library, although they were at one time. The record for such an item is not deleted and remains in WorldCat in the event it is acquired by another library.
It is also possible it is a rare item held by one or more WorldCat libraries that currently do not participate in WorldCat.org.
What is the "Bookmark" button shown in the "Share It" section of a detailed record?
The Bookmark button lets you add the WorldCat record for any item to popular social bookmarking services at Web sites such as Digg, Del.icio.us, Facebook, Yahoo and Google. The button is supplied by AddThis.com.
Social bookmarking works just like your browser's Favorites menu, except that your bookmarked Web pages are publicly available for sharing, searching, categorization, tracking and discussion. (Functionality varies by site.)
To add a WorldCat detailed record to your social bookmarks, hover your mouse pointer over the Bookmark button. A mouseover window with links to 11 of the most popular Web bookmarking services will appear. Click one, or select More to view the full list of services. A pop-up window will appear and display the account login and/or creation page for your selected service. (If a new window does not open, make sure it is not being blocked by your browser or toolbar software.) Log in or create an account and add the WorldCat list to your bookmarks, then close the window.