Coming in March 2014: WorldCat Discovery Services

In March 2014, OCLC will release WorldCat Discovery Services, a new suite of cloud-based applications that brings FirstSearch^® and WorldCat^® Local services together, making it possible for more than 18,000 FirstSearch libraries to offer a richer discovery experience for users.

A central index expands e-content access to all FirstSearch libraries

WorldCat Discovery Services will enable users to discover more than 1.3 billion electronic and physical resources in libraries around the world through a single search of WorldCat and a central index representing nearly 2,000 e-content collections. WorldCat Discovery will enable information seekers from mutually subscribing libraries to search authoritative sources from providers such as EBSCO, Gale and ProQuest.

Direct links from citations to full-text resources will be available for libraries that use OCLC cataloging and the WorldCat^® knowledge base. Resources not available electronically can be delivered through integrated interlibrary loan.

New features for FirstSearch subscribers

• A new user interface that adapts automatically to mobile devices
• Access to a central index that represents more than a billion articles, e-books and other e-content
• The ability to manage access to digital collections with CONTENTdm “quick start”

Additional new features provided for libraries that maintain up-to-date holdings in WorldCat

• Direct links to full-text resources to which a library subscribes
• A built-in A to Z list
• A library’s resources listed first in search results

Libraries that maintain current holdings in WorldCat will also continue to benefit from increased visibility of their resources in WorldCat.org and through search engines and other popular websites where people often begin their research.

Meet your local needs with optional services

WorldCat Discovery Services can be tailored to meet the specific needs of individual libraries through the purchase of one or more of the following fee-based options to enhance the local discovery experience:

• Real-time availability status: Shows users what’s available in their local library collection
• A group or consortium view of available resources: Maximizes the value of libraries’ group affiliations
• Management of course reserves or reading lists: Enables access to temporary collections of resources organized by course or subject.
• Remote database search: Adds remote databases not in the WorldCat Discovery central index to users’ single-search experience
• Customized traffic and usage reports: Measures usage with the use of Adobe^® SiteCatalyst^®

A year-long transition

WorldCat Discovery Services will be available to all current FirstSearch subscribers in March 2014 as part of existing subscriptions. FirstSearch will operate in parallel during a year-long transition, allowing libraries to choose their transition timing. WorldCat Local and WorldShare® Management Services libraries can begin to use WorldCat Discovery Services during a beta period that begins in April 2014. WorldCat Discovery Services was developed and refined with feedback from more than 650 beta participants from the FirstSearch user community as well as a 30-member Advisory Group.