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Weekly News Digest
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October 11, 2010 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today. For other up-to-the-minute news, check out ITI’s Twitter account: @ITINewsBreaks.
CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.
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OCLC Integrates WorldCat Knowledgebase With WorldCat to Expand Library Content Connections
WorldCat knowledgebase functionality has been integrated into WorldCat services to help library users connect to full-text electronic content and help libraries to better manage workflows associated with electronic materials. The WorldCat knowledgebase combines data about libraries’ electronic content with linking features that enable access to the content. A license management tool allows a library to indicate which journal titles and collections it has the rights to share through interlibrary loan. Together, these enhancements help library staff more efficiently process incoming requests for electronic articles. The new feature is included as part of an OCLC cataloging subscription at no additional charge.Unlike a traditional knowledgebase, WorldCat knowledgebase data is not tied to a particular application. The data is added and maintained in a single place for use with a growing number of OCLC services. WorldCat Resource Sharing and ILLiad subscribers are the first to benefit from the knowledgebase integration, providing an enhanced resource sharing experience for libraries and users. The integration of knowledgebase functionality into WorldCat services follows a pilot project with 14 leading academic institutions that began as a test to determine how the knowledgebase could facilitate direct requests for articles. As the pilot progressed, it became clear that the knowledgebase could benefit all WorldCat Resource Sharing libraries, even those that did not offer direct requests for articles. WorldCat knowledgebase functionality makes it possible for more efficient requests for articles, identifying lending libraries and passing the URL of an item directly to the lending library in the request. In many cases, staff can complete a loan transaction within minutes, without having to leave the desk. When a user submits a request to borrow an article a library already holds, library staff receive a loan request that contains the URL for the item. This not only reduces the number of requests a library makes for things it already owns but also eliminates the need for staff to consult multiple sources to find the requested item. WorldCat knowledgebase data will soon be available for use with other services. The knowledgebase will support a new “view now” link in WorldCat Local search results, providing users with one-click access to electronic resources such as full-text articles and ebooks. An e-link will be added to brief records in WorldCat Local search results so users will not have to scroll through detailed records to find a link to electronic resources. Later, integration of OpenURL resolution functionality will further consolidate the discovery and delivery of electronic items into a single interface. As of Sept. 15, the WorldCat knowledgebase provides access to 5.8 million records for electronic materials from 124 providers in nine countries. Libraries can complete a request form to begin the process to add data about their electronic collections to the knowledgebase. Source: OCLC
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Brandi Scardilli
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