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The purpose of this paper is to compare Google Books with WorldCat and to assess some other functionalities of Google Books.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare Google Books with WorldCat and to assess some other functionalities of Google Books.
Design/methodology/approach
Over 500 random samples generated from WorldCat were searched on Google Books. The search results were used to compare the coverage between Google Books and WorldCat, to estimate the successful link rate to a local library catalogue, the percentage available as full view, snippet, and preview on Google Books, and other services of Google Books.
Findings
Google Books can retrieve almost all the books catalogued in WorldCat. Its “Find in a library” link to a local library catalogue works 75 percent of the time. Fewer than 10 percent of Google Books items have free full views, and about 15 percent have snippets and previews, respectively. Previews are much more useful than snippets. Google Books probably indexes books that it does not possess in digital form, in addition to indexing all the books that it has acquired in digital form.
Originality/value
No previous empirical studies of this kind have been found. This study assesses Google Books' coverage and services with quantitative measures.
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This paper aims to describe the results of a usability test performed at Western Washington University to determine whether users were as successful performing common…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe the results of a usability test performed at Western Washington University to determine whether users were as successful performing common catalog‐related tasks in WorldCat Local as they are in the library's current catalog, Innovative Interfaces' WebPAC.
Design/methodology/approach
A usability team developed a test based on tasks commonly performed in the library catalog. They then tested 24 participants of varying levels of experience and asked each to perform 20 common catalog tasks in either the WebPAC interface currently in use or the WorldCat Local interface. The WorldCat Local interface was a test version which reflected Western Washington University's library holdings, in addition to the Orbis Cascade Alliance consortial holdings and all WorldCat holdings.
Findings
While the results found that there were tasks in which participants were more successful in WorldCat Local than in the WebPAC, they also identified common tasks in which users were far less successful in WorldCat Local than in the WebPAC.
Originality/value
WorldCat Local is one example of a new generation of discovery interfaces that is being considered by a number of academic institutions. This paper provides some insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the product.
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Henryk Hollender and Agnieszka Kasprzyk
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of library catalogs and the national union catalog in Poland and the inclusion of the latter in OCLC's WorldCat, bringing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of library catalogs and the national union catalog in Poland and the inclusion of the latter in OCLC's WorldCat, bringing Polish cultural life from authors to researchers and composers to a worldwide audience.
Design/methodology/approach
Two Polish librarians deeply involved in the liaison with OCLC over WorldCat discuss the development of library automation and catalogs in the country, in particular NUKAT, the national union catalog for academic and research libraries in Poland. The article also covers the inclusion of Polish library data in Google Scholar.
Findings
There is a wealth of Polish content now available via WorldCat – currently around 900,000 items are available.
Practical implications
Makes researchers aware of data on Polish publications that can now be found via OCLC's WorldCat and Google Scholar. Poland is one of Europe's major publishing countries, with around five per cent of Europe's publications a year.
Originality/value
Provides an overview of the cataloguing situation in one of Eastern Europe's more recent member states of the European Union.
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The purpose of this paper is to substantially update a presentation made at the 2007 IFLA Conference. It intends to describe the RESPOND project, a partnership between OCLC and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to substantially update a presentation made at the 2007 IFLA Conference. It intends to describe the RESPOND project, a partnership between OCLC and the AMICAL consortium to enhance library resource discovery, and to report on initial outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes the background for RESPOND, its key features and interesting challenges, and some of its expected direct and indirect benefits for the discovery and sharing of resources at AMICAL libraries. Preliminary statistics for group library holdings in WorldCat and OCLC ILL system use are examined.
Findings
The time required for implementation and adoption of services was greater, and effective training more difficult to organize, than expected. Resource‐sharing performance improvements still need to be measured, and many libraries are just starting to implement the project's services, but cooperation appears to be increasing between consortium members. The potential benefits for resource discovery and delivery remain great, and interest and participation in the project have spread to include nearly all AMICAL consortium members.
Originality/value
AMICAL is an atypical consortium because of its geographically dispersed and highly international membership, but the challenges and results described here may be relevant to other efforts at international resource sharing and cooperation.
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Vyacheslav I. Zavalin and Shawne D. Miksa
This paper aims to discuss the challenges encountered in collecting, cleaning and analyzing the large data set of bibliographic metadata records in machine-readable cataloging…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to discuss the challenges encountered in collecting, cleaning and analyzing the large data set of bibliographic metadata records in machine-readable cataloging [MARC 21] format. Possible solutions are presented.
Design/methodology/approach
This mixed method study relied on content analysis and social network analysis. The study examined subject representation in MARC 21 metadata records created in 2020 in WorldCat – the largest international database of “big smart data.” The methodological challenges that were encountered and solutions are examined.
Findings
In this general review paper with a focus on methodological issues, the discussion of challenges is followed by a discussion of solutions developed and tested as part of this study. Data collection, processing, analysis and visualization are addressed separately. Lessons learned and conclusions related to challenges and solutions for the design of a large-scale study evaluating MARC 21 bibliographic metadata from WorldCat are given. Overall recommendations for the design and implementation of future research are suggested.
Originality/value
There are no previous publications that address the challenges and solutions of data collection and analysis of WorldCat’s “big smart data” in the form of MARC 21 data. This is the first study to use a large data set to systematically examine MARC 21 library metadata records created after the most recent addition of new fields and subfields to MARC 21 Bibliographic Format standard in 2019 based on resource description and access rules. It is also the first to focus its analyzes on the networks formed by subject terms shared by MARC 21 bibliographic records in a data set extracted from a heterogeneous centralized database WorldCat.
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The purpose of this paper is to present the Danish agreement with OCLC's WorldCat and the perspectives for international cooperation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the Danish agreement with OCLC's WorldCat and the perspectives for international cooperation.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes the Danish ILL cooperation, the project and WorldCat as a case study of international cooperation which will increase the effectiveness of the international ILL service.
Findings
Cooperation with an international organization works better when coordinated nationally.
Originality/value
The Danish agreement with OCLC covers both main activities: ILL and cataloguing – creation and use of bibliographic data.
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Linda Sīle, Raf Guns, Alesia A. Zuccala and Tim C.E. Engels
This study investigates an approach to book metrics for research evaluation that takes into account the complexity of scholarly monographs. This approach is based on work sets …
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates an approach to book metrics for research evaluation that takes into account the complexity of scholarly monographs. This approach is based on work sets – unique scholarly works and their within-work related bibliographic entities – for scholarly monographs in national databases for research output.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examines bibliographic records on scholarly monographs acquired from four European databases (VABB in Flanders, Belgium; CROSBI in Croatia; CRISTIN in Norway; COBISS in Slovenia). Following a data enrichment process using metadata from OCLC WorldCat and Amazon Goodreads, the authors identify work sets and the corresponding ISBNs. Next, on the basis of the number of ISBNs per work set and the presence in WorldCat, they design a typology of scholarly monographs: Globally visible single-expression works, Globally visible multi-expression works, Miscellaneous and Globally invisible works.
Findings
The findings show that the concept “work set” and the proposed typology can aid the identification of influential scholarly monographs in the social sciences and humanities (i.e. the Globally visible multi-expression works).
Practical implications
In light of the findings, the authors outline requirements for the bibliographic control of scholarly monographs in national databases for research output that facilitate the use of the approach proposed here.
Originality/value
The authors use insights from library and information science (LIS) to construct complexity-sensitive book metrics. In doing so, the authors, on the one hand, propose a solution to a problem in research evaluation and, on the other hand, bring to attention the need for a dialogue between LIS and neighbouring communities that work with bibliographic data.
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Traces the history of OCLC’s development as an international organization, reviews current activities around the world and describes evolving strategies for globalization of the…
Abstract
Traces the history of OCLC’s development as an international organization, reviews current activities around the world and describes evolving strategies for globalization of the OCLC co‐operative.
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Thomas Deardorff and Heidi Nance
The purpose of this paper is to describe the impact of WorldCat Local implementation on interlibrary loan and to suggest some strategies for successful implementation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the impact of WorldCat Local implementation on interlibrary loan and to suggest some strategies for successful implementation.
Design/methodology/approach
The experience of the University of Washington Libraries is described in detail with additional data from other early adopters of WorldCat Local.
Findings
The implementation of WorldCat Local caused a significant increase in the number of interlibrary loan requests, and a change in the type of requests and the demographics of requesters.
Originality/value
The University of Washington Libraries was the first library system to adopt WorldCat Local and now has two years' worth of interlibrary loan data to evaluate. This is the first analysis of those data.
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Gan (Grace) Ye and Sally Bryant
This paper aims to study streamlined request services based on discrete systems’ integration in an academic library. The integration of discrete systems allows patrons to use the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study streamlined request services based on discrete systems’ integration in an academic library. The integration of discrete systems allows patrons to use the library’s online public access catalog to send requests and have the requests automatically transferred to the local integrated library system (ILS), the consortia borrowing system, and an interlibrary loan system. The integration of discrete systems also allows adding the consortia service without adding any library staff.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors introduce library holdings behind the search interface, the discrete library systems and the authentication system. The paper illustrates how patron requests can be automatically transferred to discrete library systems.
Findings
Resource sharing has become a hot topic in the library world where libraries are facing budget cuts, space limits and employee shortage challenges. Systems’ integration will help libraries to add new services without adding staff.
Practical implications
The consortia borrowing system can be seamlessly integrated into discrete library systems and a campus authentication system. Pepperdine University’s experience can serve as an example for libraries which have a plan to implement consortia borrowing systems or want to streamline their workflows.
Originality/value
This paper takes a fresh look at the traditional request services using cloud-based systems.
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