OCLC
Source: LibraryStuff.net OCLC Open Worldcat Bookmarklet
LibraryStuff has a post about a new bookmarklet that allows the searcher to quickly find OpenWorldCat records from Google. This tool comes from our friends Jessamyn and Andrea with programming help from ResourceShelf favorite (and friend) Michael Fagan. I've been critical about OpenWorldCat since it was announced about a year ago. However, I've realized that many people like the idea so I'm beginning to reshape and reform my ideas about the program. It's a challenge, but please believe me when I say I'm trying to get onboard. Here are a few random thoughts about the program that I had this morning after learning about this new "cool" tool.
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First, it would be great to see something similar to search OpenWorldCat for Yahoo. Yahoo has shown a strong interest in adding OCLC material. They added all of the records in less than a week while Google took many months (and we still don't know if they're adding everything). More on the Yahoo story in this Info Today story.
Second, the idea of OpenWorldcat is to remind non-library users that libraries are still around and ready to provide access. I wondering what might happen to WorldCat if more librarians get access to records via OpenWorldCat. Will they lose subscribers? Why pay when you can get what you need for free? Will libraries who offer the public free access to the entire database say it's not worth it? What would this mean for WorldCat, "the business," in the long run?
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Third, the new bookmarklet (which I think was built with librarians in mind) and others that will come along could be tools that appeal to the type of user OCLC is targeting with OpenWorldCat. However, what happens if/when searchers are unable to find what they are looking for via OpenWorldCat but the public library two blocks away or their university library has just what they need and more? Are they aware of OpenWorldcat's limitations? Would this type of experience reinforce ideas about why they've neglected libraries in the past? What happens when they do find an OCLC record but their local library isn't listed? At the same time, what happens when they find a record and receive a list of local libraries that don't offer public access? Is it possible to create a Google/Yahoo/Open WorldCat bookmarklet (anything with the word "Google" in it spreads quickly) that also reminds users that bookmarklets for their local library might be available and could really save them time. Heck, just a box that promoted libraries would be useful. This is a way to use Google's buzz to help promote libraries.
-- Shirl comments... Does the average library user...or Google/Yahoo searcher even know what a bookmarklet is? Or understand what WorldCat is? I forsee a need for more user-friendly terminology here.
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