Sorry, got to correct something... The quote beginning "Work is already
underway...." is from Marshall's LJ article, not OCLC. If you read
through the document at
http://www.oclc.org/us/en/productworks/webscale.htm* *it seems to
include all of the ILS functions but OCLC does not say "ILS" anywhere
that I can see. I believe Marshall's analysis is correct, however, that
the ILS is their target.
kc
Karen Coyle wrote:
> David Pattern wrote:
>> OCLC announces "quick start" version of the OCLC WorldCat Local service
>>
>>
>
> They've been hinting that this is the direction they're working in for
> a while. I'm trying to imagine how it will work, and the description
> is pretty vague. In some areas it seems to want to interface with your
> current ILS; in others it wants to replace it. I think it's a continuum:
>
> "Work is already underway at OCLC to add circulation and delivery,
> print and electronic acquisitions, and license management
> functionality to WorldCat Local that will allow libraries to phase out
> their ILS and take advantage of these business automation services
> provided in a cloud computing model based on the representation of
> their collection in WorldCat.org."
>
> OCLC already does ILL, but that's mainly because ILL depends on
> interaction with other libraries. Some of the other functions, like
> circulation or acquisitions, don't currently need to take advantage of
> information about other libraries in order to work. Will there be an
> advantage to having them run by OCLC over a local system, other than
> outsourcing the system aspects? What will the disadvantages be? What
> about all of the customization that libraries always ask vendors to do
> for certain functions (acquisitions, notably)? Will OCLC provide
> customization?
>
> I love the statement in the FAQ:
>
> *"NOTE: * The OCLC control number
> <http://www.oclc.org/bibformats/en/fixedfield/oclc.shtm> is required
> and must be consistently indexed and prefixed in your library's
> catalog in order for item location and availability status to display."
>
> What this essentially means is that if you have a Sirsi/Dynix, Ex
> Libris, etc., ILS, your current vendor has to serve up the OCLC number
> consistently so that you can begin to replace them with OCLC. Hmmm.
>
> I really wonder now about the policy statement on 'Reasonable Use'
> which is defined as any use of WorldCat records that "substantially
> replicates the function, purpose, and/or size of WorldCat." If they
> move into ILS functions, will other ILS's be treated as rivals who
> shouldn't be allowed to make use of WorldCat records? No, that would
> just be too... too.
>
> kc
>
--
-----------------------------------
Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant
kcoyle@kcoyle.net http://www.kcoyle.net
ph.: 510-540-7596 skype: kcoylenet
fx.: 510-848-3913
mo.: 510-435-8234
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Received on Thu Apr 23 2009 - 18:04:01 EDT