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NEWS FROM OCLC
Submitted to OLAC for ALA Annual, June 2006
By Jay Weitz


RLG Membership Approves Move to Combine with OCLC

RLG member institutions have approved a proposal to combine operations with OCLC, clearing the way for two of the world’s largest membership-based information organizations to become one beginning July 1, 2006. RLG’s online products and services are being integrated with OCLC’s, and RLG’s program initiatives are being continued as RLG-Programs, a membership-based organization that operates as a new division of OCLC Programs and Research to support architecture, standards development and best practices. The RLG Board of Directors and the OCLC Board of Trustees announced the proposal to combine organizations on May 3. The agreement was approved by the required two-thirds of voting RLG member institutions. Voting concluded during the week of June 9. Staff from both organizations have been meeting since the proposal was announced in May to begin planning for the integration of systems, products and services. RLG’s online products and services will be integrated with OCLC’s as appropriate. For example, RLIN, the RLG Union Catalog, will be integrated into WorldCat, delivering economies of scale and reach that will benefit members of both RLG and OCLC. An FAQ that includes information on the combined organization as well as updates on some specific products and services is at <http://www.oclc.org/news/releases/oclcrlgfaq.htm>. The FAQ is updated as information becomes available.

Connexion Client Version 1.60 Release (June 15, 2006)

Connexion Client 1.60 is now available; users will be able to:
See the Connexion Client recent enhancements page <http://www.oclc.org/connexion/interface/Client/enhancements/recent.htm> for more information and to download the software. OCLC will discontinue Connexion Client 1.50 on October 1, 2006. This message applies to users of the Windows-based Connexion Client interface; it does not apply to users of the Web-based Connexion Browser interface.

Connexion Browser Enhancements (May 2006)

Enhancements include: Re-implementation of Metadata Extraction. The Metadata Extraction functionality in the Connexion Browser has been revised and expanded. In addition to creating records for Websites, users may now extract metadata and create records for locally stored files in the "htm", "html", "pdf", and "doc" formats. Creating records automatically from extracted data will allow users to start the cataloging process quickly for more types of electronic resources, such as electronic dissertations and theses, government documents on the Web, and much more. The creation dialogs for metadata extraction have been revised to place all extract functionality on the same screen rather than splitting between the "Create/Single Record" and "Create/Multiple Records" screens.

Material Types in Search Dialog. In the Connexion Browser, the Material Type (Mat. Type) list has been added to the Keyword/Numeric Search area in the Connexion Browser to join the existing limiters of Language, Source, Format, Years, Microform, Internet and Holdings.

Connexion Browser Logoff Warning Screen. The wording of the Active Records message on the Connexion Browser logoff warning screen and the format of the screen has been changed to clarify the meaning of the active records message and to provide libraries with the information to hide the logoff warning if they prefer not to see the message.

Error Fixes. Ability to correctly control subdivisions ($x/$v). Recently, the Library of Congress launched a project to modify the value of byte 008/15 (Subj use) in subdivision authority records. The new value in the records is 008/15 = b and replaces the previously coded value of 008/15 = a. This had a negative impact on the ability to control some subdivisions if the heading was represented in separate authority records as both a topical (MARC Authority 180, $x Congresses) and form (MARC Authority 185, $v Congresses) and the 008/15 value in one record was "a" and in the other record was "b". Changes have been made to ignore the 008/15 value in all subdivision records; this should allow users to control to the correct subdivision record.

Full Implementation of OCLC-MARC Format Update 2006

With the official release of Connexion Client 1.60 announced on June 15, 2006, OCLC users can now take advantage of all of the new capabilities, new fields and subfields, new codes, and new characters documented in OCLC Technical Bulletin 252 (see <http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/tb/252/>.

Note that some data conversions and other changes are still in progress and will be completed over the course of a few weeks and months. To the extent possible, these are noted in Technical Bulletin 252. OCLC will keep users informed about the progress of the major conversions. To take full advantage of the new capabilities that are now available in Connexion Client 1.60 and to avoid the limitations of Client 1.50, users are strongly encouraged to switch from 1.50 to 1.60 at their earliest convenience. Remember that OCLC will discontinue the Connexion Client 1.50 on October 1, 2006.

OCLC’s Response to the Library of Congress Series Decision

Since the Library of Congress announced its decision to discontinue providing controlled access to series in bibliographic records and to discontinue creation of series authority records, OCLC staff have been discussing possible actions to ease the effects of this decision. This decision affects our member libraries, participants in the Program for Cooperative Cataloging and Library of Congress staff. At the May 2006 OCLC Members Council meeting, discussions with the Cataloging and Metadata Interest Group were particularly helpful in forming OCLC’s response. OCLC is now ready to announce actions in several areas that will assist in maintaining controlled series access in WorldCat records:
  1. Changes will be made to the software used to load Library of Congress records into WorldCat so that, if the existing WorldCat record contains controlled series access (either field 440 or fields 490, first indicator ‘1,’ and an 8XX field) and the incoming LC record contains only a series statement (field 490, first indicator ‘0’), the controlled series access will be retained. (To be implemented July 10, 2006.)
  2. Since, as part of the change in series practice, the Library of Congress will cease to use the 042 code ‘pcc’ in records for monographs and integrating resources, OCLC will also adjust the hierarchy that governs which record takes precedence when incoming records are compared with existing WorldCat records to insure that a PCC record is not bumped by a record not meeting PCC standards. (To be implemented June 11, 2006.)
  3. OCLC will change existing Database Enrichment capabilities so that fields 440, 490, and 8XX can be added, changed or deleted by any user with a full-level cataloging authorization. This will allow cataloging users to, for example, change series treatment in LC records to match existing authority records. (To be implemented in the next few months.)
  4. OCLC staff in the Quality Control Section will continue to make changes to series treatment in master records in response to requests from libraries made through any of the usual reporting methods. Staff in the unit are NACO participants independent in series and can, as needed, create and maintain series authority records related to the records they are upgrading.
  5. OCLC staff will review statements about Library of Congress Rule Interpretations and practices in Bibliographic Formats and Standards, 3rd ed., to clarify that OCLC member libraries are not required to follow LC’s decisions on controlled series access. Updates will be made to the Web version of BFAS once review has been completed.
  6. OCLC staff in the CIP Upgrade Unit (located at the Blackwell’s Book Services warehouse in Blackwood, New Jersey) will continue to verify series information as part of the CIP Upgrading process and will, as necessary, change Library of Congress records to reflect appropriate controlled series access. Staff in the unit are NACO participants independent in series and will, as needed, create and maintain series authority records related to the records they are upgrading.
  7. OCLC also receives upgraded CIP records from a variety of external sources and has asked those suppliers to continue verifying series access points against the authority file and to adjust coding of records as necessary to provide appropriate controlled series access.
We hope these steps will help OCLC member libraries in their efforts to provide controlled series access to their users.

MARC Subscription Service Supports Larger Length Records

The MARC Subscription Service (MSS) now supports larger length records, and also offers MSS users the option to select which transactions to receive. Available transaction activities include commands issued using Connexion or CatExpress for updating holdings, deleting holdings, produce actions, replacing and updating holdings. MSS users can complete the newly revised order form to update their subscription. The form is available in PDF at <http://www.oclc.org/support/forms/pdf/subser.pdf> and in HTML at <https://www3.oclc.org/app/subser/>. In addition, Appendix E of the OCLC-MARC Records Guide has been revised. See <http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/records/subscription/appendixe.pdf>. To learn more, go to: <http://www.oclc.org/marcrecords/>

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Last updated: October 20, 2006
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