From Local Catalog to World Wide Web:  Google Scholar, Open WorldCat and the OCLC eSerial Holdings Pilot

Janet Chisman; Greg Matthews; Lihong Zhu

Google Scholar, Open WorldCat and the OCLC eSerial Holdings Pilot Project have moved the availability of library-subscribed electronic resources from local catalogs, electronic journal lists, and link resolvers to the World Wide Web. Google Scholar provides access to peer-reviewed articles in e-journals using a library's link resolver registered with Google. When an article in an e-journal in the link resolver database is displayed in a Google Scholar results list, a link to the service menu generated by the library link resolver is also displayed. Open WorldCat uses the Google and Yahoo! Search engines to provide access to materials available in the WorldCat database. Information seekers can search for a local library holding the material and then link directly into the library catalog, view details about the item and add a review. Participation in Open WorldCat requires membership in OCLC, contribution of library holdings to WorldCat and a subscription to WorldCat via FirstSearch. Special Open WorldCat tools are also available: Yahoo! Toolbar, Google toolbar Autolink, and Firefox search extensions. The OCLC eSerials Holdings Pilot is a current project by OCLC begun in spring 2005 and extending through April 2006. The pilot is exploring ways to automate the loading of e-holdings information into WorldCat with minimal effort on the part of participating libraries. OCLC is working with TDNet, Serials Solutions, and EBSCO to load participating library holdings into WorldCat. WSU joined the project in July 2005 to give OCLC the opportunity to work with a library subscribing to the SFX link resolver service from Ex Libris. These new developments present all areas of the library with interesting new challenges and opportunities. Public service librarians have new opportunities for moving patrons from the Web to the library. Interlibrary loan might see increased numbers of borrowing requests and will have an added check on library holdings when seeking photocopies for local patrons. Serials units will experience additional pressures for maintaining accurate holdings and extracting needed ILL permissions/prohibitions from licenses. Perhaps most profoundly affected will be cataloging units where close examination of basic policies, such as single vs. multiple record, and procedures will be essential. Presented at the 2006 Online Northwest Conference, Feb. 10, 2006, Corvallis, OR.

From Local Catalog to World Wide Web: Google Scholar, Open WorldCat and the OCLC eSerial Holdings Pilot

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