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WorldCat Discovery beta: Tell Us What You Think

December 3, 2014 Author: Lena ZentallCategories:

 

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What’s happening with the WorldCat Discovery Beta?

The WorldCat Discovery Services beta launched in April 30, 2014 and is currently slated to conclude in April 2015. WorldCat Discovery merges WorldCat Local and FirstSearch on a new platform with major functional design improvements. CDL is waiting for all WorldCat Local features to be integrated and fully functional in WorldCat Discovery before setting a date to move to the new platform. Ideally, CDL would like to make the move during summer 2015 before the fall term begins to allow plenty of time for library staff to update their instructional materials.

Links to WorldCat Discovery Services beta sites for each UC campus to test drive the new interface are available on the WorldCat Discovery Beta webpage.

Monitoring WorldCat Local & OCLC FirstSearch

Because the existing WorldCat Local (WCL) and OCLC’s FirstSearch interfaces will be merged into the WorldCat Discovery Services (WCD) platform, we’re tracking the changes to both these resources simultaneously.  We will migrate from FirstSearch and WorldCat Local to the new platform at the same time.

  • CDL’s Melvyl Operations Team is monitoring WorldCat Local by flagging potential issues for UC, communicating with OCLC’s WCD Product Manager, attending monthly informational webinars and participating in the WorldCat Discovery beta advisory group. Most importantly, the Melvyl Operations Team will manage the service configurations and work with OCLC on technical problems before during and after the merge/switchover process.
  • Robert Heyer-Gray (UCD), FirstSearch Resource Liaison, and Holly Eggleston (CDL), Electronic Resource Analyst, are monitoring FirstSearch by test driving WordCat Discovery beta and providing suggestions on the interface when compared with existing FirstSearch functionality. Both Bob and Holly will work with other CDL staff to get the word out to the UC campuses on the WCD migration.

Recent Enhancements, News, and Activities

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  • Coming soon! Staff User Accounts to view MARC records in Melvyl. With a staff user account, you can view MARC records, view the OCLC# on the brief record display, and search by library holding symbol. Accounts will be available to library staff, and CDL is currently working to set up the WorldCat Discovery Staff Account process. CDL hopes to have the process formalized by the end of January and will create a web page on the CDL website with this information. Stay tuned!
  • Visit OCLC at ALA. If you’ll be attending ALA Midwinter (January 30-February 3, 2015) in Chicago, be sure to stop by the OCLC booth in the Exhibition Hall or attend an OCLC ‘update’ sessions to see WCD demonstrations and learn about the latest enhancements.

Make your voice heard!

  • Check out the WorldCat Discovery beta and send OCLC your feedback. Use the Tell Us What You Think button at the bottom of every page.