Library Web Chic

Five Months with WorldCat Local: The University of Washington Libraries Experience

Jennifer Ward

uwashington.worldcat.org

Finding Time (YouTube video)

What does it search?

• 3 catalogs
• Holdings in WorldCat

4 article databases

• PubMed
• ERIC
• GPO
• ArticleFirst

What doesn’t search?

• Some serials
• Certain Special Collections records
• Records for on-order in process titles
• Licensed third party record sets

Why test WorldCat Local?

• Research shows that most users prefere simple and direct search mechanisms and become overwhelmed with multiple choices
• Make our quality resources convenient for users to find and get
• Get into the users space, users using Google Desktop. Get in with the Googles and Microsofts
• Syndication of resources to other user environments
• Our users have lives and we are not the center of it!!!
• Users satisfice

It is all about the user
Overwhelmed by choices, they tend to select the first thing that seems to do well enough Having found something that works, they will only give it up for something demonstratively better or easier

Too many silos!!!

Silos not connected and don’t show people who to get from one silo to another.

Users hit too many dead ends

Yet another interface and another step

Request items at a location that is convient to them - Delivery Silos confusing for users

For our users to go from the catalog to ILL is difficult and confusing

Streamlined, integrated searching of UW Libraries catalog, Summit, OCLC WorldCat holdings

Fewer clicks to find and obtain information

Integrates the three separate request/delivery systems

Next steps should always be clear to the user. So that they don’t get lost

Results displayed in the following order:

• UW catalog
• Summit (consortial catalog)
• WorldCat
  • shows all holdings in your area

Citation export

Integrates with ILLiad for ILL

Journals link to electronic holdings and print holdings

Article citations link to check for fulltext

Huge impacts WorldCat local implementation had on borrowing

both consortial borrowing and ILL

Issues with data from multiple sources

FRBR - bringing together manifestations of a work under one records, not perfect

Local and consortial borrowing policies not properly aligned

Lost of some functionality that was local (hours, library locations, etc)