[LIBRARYDIR] [EXTERNAL] Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: [SPAM] RE: [EXTERNAL] RE: [EXTERNAL] [SPAM] Re: OCLC FirstSearch

Wed Jun 5 15:42:50 PDT 2024

Thanks for that extra background, Sarah and for the link, Carleigh!

When Seattle migrated to Alma-Primo in 2017, we dropped our FirstSearch subscription. (It will surprise none of the old timers to hear that Seattle never joined the WSL-brokered group contract). At that point in time, OCLC still showed holdings in WorldCat.org even if libraries didn’t have a FirstSearch or WorldCat Discovery subscription.

Sometime in 2018 or 2019, OCLC started requiring a WorldCat Discovery subscription to display library holdings in WorldCat.org, Google Books, or Goodreads. This came as a complete surprise to us and we didn’t find this out until a good 1-2 years after the change.

In March of this year, I learned that OCLC now offers a WorldCat Visibility subscription<https://www.oclc.org/en/web-visibility/web-visibility-subscriptions.html> as a less expensive option for libraries who just want their holdings to show up in WorldCat.org and Google but who don’t need all the features of WorldCat Discovery or FirstSearch.

"This option is available to libraries who maintain any OCLC cataloging subscription (OCLC Cataloging and Metadata, CatExpress, or Holdings Registration)…"

It’s not included with your cataloging service subscription. You have to pay extra for it, but you have to have a cataloging service subscription to begin with.

It will be ok!

Kirsti S. Thomas (Hear my first name<http://namedrop.io/kirstithomas>)
Library Technical Services Manager & Systems Librarian
Seattle Colleges
kirsti.thomas at seattlecolleges.edu

From: Dawn Hawley <dhawley at btc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 13:36
To: Sarah Gray <sarah.gray at edmonds.edu>; WACTC Library Directors <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>
Cc: Hill, Carleigh <CarleighH at bigbend.edu>; Thomas, Kirsti <Kirsti.Thomas at seattlecolleges.edu>
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Re: [LIBRARYDIR] [EXTERNAL] Re: [SPAM] RE: [EXTERNAL] RE: [EXTERNAL] [SPAM] Re: OCLC FirstSearch

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Thanks for the additional information, Sarah. The consequences that you describe are the sort that I was wondering about.
Thank you everyone for chiming in. I am better prepared for a conversation with OCLC now.
Dawn

Dawn Hawley
Executive Director
Library, eLearning & Academic Support
Bellingham Technical College

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June is LGBTQ+ month<https://www.loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/resources/>

From: Sarah Gray <sarah.gray at edmonds.edu<mailto:sarah.gray at edmonds.edu>>
Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 11:38 AM
To: WACTC Library Directors <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>>
Cc: Hill, Carleigh <CarleighH at bigbend.edu<mailto:CarleighH at bigbend.edu>>; Thomas, Kirsti <Kirsti.Thomas at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Kirsti.Thomas at seattlecolleges.edu>>; Dawn Hawley <dhawley at btc.edu<mailto:dhawley at btc.edu>>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [LIBRARYDIR] [EXTERNAL] Re: [SPAM] RE: [EXTERNAL] RE: [EXTERNAL] [SPAM] Re: OCLC FirstSearch

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My understanding-- from OCLC documentation and emails with OCLC reps-- is that if you subscribe to FirstSearch, you now also have access to WorldCat Discovery. Around 2017 or 2018, OCLC was planning to replace the FirstSearch product with WorldCat Discovery, but there was outcry from libraries who preferred the FirstSearch interface (it offers more advanced search fields than WorldCat Discovery).

OCLC emails/documentation from around this time suggest that OCLC was planning to provide libraries with both products for a year without charging additional costs, then libraries would need to decide if they wanted one, the other, or both. However, it seems that at some point, OCLC decided that if you pay for one, you get the other for no extra cost? Per a recent email with the OCLC rep: "FirstSearch and Discovery are different sites but yes to you have a subscription to Discovery with your Firstsearch subscription." Indeed, I discovered we do have a WorldCat Discovery site<https://edmondscommunitycollegelibrary.on.worldcat.org/>, but it was never configured and no one uses it.

Re: notable consequences of cancelling FirstSearch, the OCLC rep tells me that we will lose 1) WorldCat.org web visibility (our library's holdings will no longer show in WorldCat.org), and 2) the ability to link to our ILL form from WorldCat.org (patrons will no longer be able click a button on WorldCat.org to have bibliographic info auto-filled into our ILL form).

Thanks,
Sarah

On Wed, Jun 5, 2024 at 10:55 AM Dawn Hawley via LIBRARYDIR <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>> wrote:
Thanks for this helpful info, Carleigh.
I remember the Wayfinder “group catalog” project, but I was not involved with it. It is interesting that although Wayfinder was discontinued in 2013, the original agreement, which includes locked in rates for some OCLC products, has been extended a few times, including back in 2020 for five years.
I see that the contract specifically calls for participating libraries to purchase:

  *   Unlimited Cataloging,
  *   Unlimited ILL, and a
  *   FirstSearch WorldCat Subscription.
The renewal notice that I received lists:

  *   Cataloging & Metadata Subscription,
  *   FirstSearch, and
  *   WorldShare ILL.
Now I’m wondering if FirstSearch is Worldcat now. Has anyone cancelled FirstSearch? Have there been any notable consequences?

Thanks,
Dawn

Dawn Hawley
Executive Director
Library, eLearning & Academic Support
Bellingham Technical College

Library: library at btc.edu<https://outlook.office365.com/mail/options/mail/messageContent/library@btc.edu>
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From: Hill, Carleigh <CarleighH at bigbend.edu<mailto:CarleighH at bigbend.edu>>
Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 10:26 AM
To: Thomas, Kirsti <Kirsti.Thomas at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Kirsti.Thomas at seattlecolleges.edu>>; WACTC Library Directors <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>>
Cc: Dawn Hawley <dhawley at btc.edu<mailto:dhawley at btc.edu>>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [LIBRARYDIR] [SPAM] RE: [EXTERNAL] RE: [EXTERNAL] [SPAM] Re: OCLC FirstSearch

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Here is the State Library page about the project if that helps:
https://www2.sos.wa.gov/library/libraries/projects/wayfindermoreaboutwho.aspx

Carleigh E. Hill (she/her)

Services Manager

WACTCLC

www.wactclc.org<http://www.wactclc.org/>

Book a meeting with me<https://calendly.com/librarianchill/meet>

509-795-0140 (text & voice)

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From: LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu>> on behalf of Dawn Hawley via LIBRARYDIR <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>>
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Cc: Dawn Hawley <dhawley at btc.edu<mailto:dhawley at btc.edu>>
Subject: [LIBRARYDIR] [SPAM] RE: [EXTERNAL] RE: [EXTERNAL] [SPAM] Re: OCLC FirstSearch

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Hi Kirsti,

Thank you for that context. I would appreciate a look at Will’s email.

Dawn

Dawn Hawley

Executive Director

Library, eLearning & Academic Support

Bellingham Technical College

Library: library at btc.edu<https://outlook.office365.com/mail/options/mail/messageContent/library@btc.edu>

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June is LGBTQ+ month<https://www.loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/resources/>

From: Thomas, Kirsti <Kirsti.Thomas at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:Kirsti.Thomas at seattlecolleges.edu>>
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 8:36 PM
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Cc: Dawn Hawley <dhawley at btc.edu<mailto:dhawley at btc.edu>>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] RE: [LIBRARYDIR] [EXTERNAL] [SPAM] Re: OCLC FirstSearch

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One thing to be aware of—

Some OCLC products that libraries have are through a group contract that was brokered by the Washington State Library. That contract requires participants to maintain subscriptions to specific services & products to get the contract pricing.

I had an email exchange with Will Stuivenga (now retired) from the State Library about this back in 2019. At the time, Will said that the contract required participants to carry subscriptions for:

  *   Unlimited Cataloging
  *   Unlimited ILL
  *   A WorldCat subscription (WorldCat Discovery???)

I don’t think FirstSearch was part of that contract, but I wanted to mention this just in case you get any weird price increases to any other OCLC subscriptions after cancelling FirstSearch.

I can share the full text of Will’s email for anyone who wants it.

It will be ok!

Kirsti S. Thomas (Hear my first name<http://namedrop.io/kirstithomas>)

Library Technical Services Manager & Systems Librarian

Seattle Colleges

kirsti.thomas at seattlecolleges.edu<mailto:kirsti.thomas at seattlecolleges.edu>

From: LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu>> On Behalf Of Dawn Hawley via LIBRARYDIR
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 13:59
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Cc: Dawn Hawley <dhawley at btc.edu<mailto:dhawley at btc.edu>>
Subject: Re: [LIBRARYDIR] [EXTERNAL] [SPAM] Re: OCLC FirstSearch

Thank you for the responses. It’s the priciest item on our renewal list, but a straw poll of local library staff indicates lack of use and lack of interest in use.

Dawn

Dawn Hawley

Executive Director

Library, eLearning & Academic Support

Bellingham Technical College

Library: library at btc.edu<https://outlook.office365.com/mail/options/mail/messageContent/library@btc.edu>

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From: LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu>> On Behalf Of Jacquelyn Ray via LIBRARYDIR
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:22 AM
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Cc: Jacquelyn Ray <jacquelyn.ray at wwcc.edu<mailto:jacquelyn.ray at wwcc.edu>>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [LIBRARYDIR] [SPAM] Re: OCLC FirstSearch

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Hey Dawn~

     I decided to cancel it this next year.  It was used so infrequently, I think I assessed that it was costing us about $300 a usage.

All my best,

Jacquelyn

Jacquelyn Ray, MLIS, MA | Director of Library Services & FYE | she/her

Walla Walla Community College
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We need critical hope the way a fish needs unpolluted water.

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From: LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu>> on behalf of Dawn Hawley via LIBRARYDIR <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>>
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Cc: Dawn Hawley <dhawley at btc.edu<mailto:dhawley at btc.edu>>
Subject: [LIBRARYDIR] OCLC FirstSearch

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Hello All,

How is your library using OCLC FirstSearch these days?

Dawn

Dawn Hawley

Executive Director

Library, eLearning & Academic Support

Bellingham Technical College

Library: library at btc.edu<https://outlook.office365.com/mail/options/mail/messageContent/library@btc.edu>

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