Karen Coyle wrote:
> I recommend that folks take a look at the committee's report, which is at:
> http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/catalog/FinalReport_ReviewBoard.pdf
>
> In particular look at some of the technical assumptions in that report
> (and presumably in the thinking of the committee). One in particular, on
> page 1, is the strong affirmation that the answer (question unclear
> here) is an international union catalog. And that union catalog is
> WorldCat. If you begin with *that* assumption about the technology, you
> don't then explore other models, such as distributed data systems or
> data "in the web."
I also have a feeling that the option of WorldCat Local (which is going to be *very attractive* to many libraries in this current economic environment) is somehow central to it all. See: http://www.oclc.org/worldcatlocal/
For those libraries who opt into this "free" option, it will be almost irresistible. The basis of WorldCat Local (as I understand it) is that each library will need only the item management parts of an ILS (acquisitions, circulation, location) and that users will search WorldCat, which will then link into your system to display the availability information to the users, and your library comes up No. 1 in the list of libraries.
Of course, in the architecture of a modern ILS, all functions (acq., circ, etc.) are linked to the central *bibliographic* record, whose function would then be transferred to the *master record* held in OCLC's database, and all local edits are lost. If my understanding is correct, and WorldCat Local libraries lose the ability to make local edits to their bibliographic records, it naturally will have profound implications for libraries everywhere, especially in the cataloging departments. (I am not discussing here whether this is actually a good or bad development for users)
But again, if I am correct in my understanding, the master record held in OCLC, along with the OCLC control number will become very valuable, indeed.
Jim Weinheimer
Received on Fri Jul 03 2009 - 04:30:09 EDT