WorldCat Discovery release notes, July 2023

WorldCat Discovery July Release Highlights  

This release of WorldCat Discovery includes the following enhancements as well as a bug fix: 

• Create custom translations for user sign-in 
• Quickly determine which databases are restricted in OCLC Service Configuration 
• Clearly ‘Unselect’ all databases in an advanced search database group 
• Save items from search results more quickly with performance improvements 
• Configure Sign-in promotion, custom notifications, and custom links label in new Header/Footer section of OCLC Service Configuration 

Many of these changes are a direct result of your feedback. 

Configure the new WorldShare ILL request form 

Beginning 31 July 2023,  for Discovery libraries using WorldShare ILL, all ILL requests will use the new WorldShare ILL form. The new form includes configuration options that allow you to provide a more customized experience for your library’s users. It also lets your users submit requests from any OpenURL-enabled discovery service or via a blank form. ​

You decide when to begin using the new ILL form. 

• Configure and use the new form before 31 July 
  • With a small investment of time, you can create your library’s custom ILL request form and begin to use it now. Instructions are provided in Setting up your new WorldShare ILL request form at  oc.lc/illform. 
• Wait for OCLC to enable your use of the new form on 31 July 
  • If you haven’t moved to the new form by 31 July, we’ll do it for you by enabling use of the new standard form with default settings for your library. 

The WorldCat Discovery request form will be retired following libraries’ migration to the new WorldShare ILL form. If you have a problem following migration to the new form, please contact OCLC Support in your region. 

Additional details about the new ILL request form are provided in WorldShare ILL release notes, May 2023. 

 Note: If your library uses the patron request forms for ILLiad or Tipasa, you will not be impacted and you should continue to use your existing forms.

Leverage enhanced sign-in configuration for WorldShare Identity Management libraries 

This release includes enhanced sign-in label configuration for libraries using WorldShare Identity Management. This configuration supports custom translations for all supported languages. 

Additional information on this update is outlined in these release notes under “Create custom translations for user sign-in" and can be found in the July WorldShare Identity Management Application release notes.  

 

Create custom translations for user sign-in 

This release includes enhanced sign-in label configuration for libraries who are using WorldShare Identity Management. This configuration supports custom translations for all supported languages. 

Previously, configuration for WMS Sign-in labels existed in Service Configuration > WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local > User Interface Options > WMS Sign in Labels. Libraries could customize text for User Name, Password, and Forgot Password text. The former configuration is shown in the screenshot below. 

 

With this release, libraries can configure custom translations of sign-in labels for all supported languages. Customization is available for the following fields: 

• User Name 
• Password 
• Header 
• Footer 
• Forgot Password text 

The screenshots below show the mappings between the WMS sign-in page and the associated labels in Service Configuration. 

 

 

 

To access this enhanced configuration, navigate to Service Configuration > EIDM Institution > Sign-In Page Custom Labels. 

For additional details, please visit the July WorldShare Identity Management Application release notes.  

 

Quickly determine which databases are restricted in OCLC Service Configuration 

 

With this release, we are making updates to OCLC Service Configuration > Metasearch Content to indicate whether access to a database is restricted. This update enables libraries to quickly understand when the database they are selecting will require authentication for users to return search results. 

This information can be accessed in the following places: 

• Selected databases: If your institution has selected a restricted database for use searching, the text “Restricted” will be included in the “Access Type” column of the database list.  
• Central index databases: When accessing the Central Index Databases list, “Restricted” will be in the “Access Type” column of the list for any restricted databases.  
• Custom database groups: If your institution has configured custom database groups, any of the databases in those groups that are restricted will include a note with the text “Restricted database.” 

Selected databases display: 

 

 

Central Index databases display: 

 

 

Custom database group display: 

 

 

Clearly ‘Unselect’ all databases in an advanced search database group 

This release includes an enhancement to the Advanced Search page to make it clear to users that they can select/unselect all databases from a database group.  

Previously, when selecting databases within a group, users were prompted with a button including the text: “Select All in Group.” It was not always clear to them that this same button could be used to unselect all the databases in the group.  

 

With this release, we have updated the Advanced Search page to include an “All” checkbox in each database group as well as in the “Searching Databases” section.  

Example of the checkbox for a database group where all databases are unselected: 

 

Example of the checkbox in “Searching Databases” where all databases are selected: 

 

 

 

Save items from search results more quickly with performance improvements 

This release includes performance improvements to enable users to save items from search results more quickly.  These performance improvements will support the future enhancement: “Save multiple search results at once”, where users will be able to save all the items from a page of search results.

If you are on search results and click the “Save” button, the item should be added to “Saved Items” more quickly.  

 

Configure sign-in promotion, custom notifications, and custom links label in new Header/Footer section of OCLC Service Configuration 

With this release, you can access a new “Header/Footer” section in OCLC Service Configuration. This can be reached by navigating to OCLC Service Configuration > WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local > Display Settings > Header/Footer settings.  

 

This new configuration section contains existing configuration which has been logically grouped for a more seamless configuration experience. Access configuration in this section for the following items: 

• Sign-in promotion: Promote sign-in to library users to take advantage of personalized features. 

• Custom notification: Notify your library users with a custom message. 

• Custom links menu: Label your custom links menu. 

Correctly return results for OCLC symbols configured as branches 

Previously, if an institution had configured an OCLC symbol (such as a repository database) as a branch, then scoping searches to that branch did not return search results. Results could be returned from the branch when searches were scoped to the local institution. With this release, branches configured using OCLC symbols will correctly return results. 

 

Available in WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat.org 

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Product website

More product information can be found here.

Office Hours

• WorldCat Discovery office hours

Support website(s)

Support information for this product and related products can be found at:

• WorldCat Discovery support resources  
• WorldCat Discovery training
• Release notes 
• OCLC customer support
• Browser compatibility chart 

 
If you have additional questions, please contact OCLC Customer Service by calling 1-800-848-5800 or 1-614-793-8682 Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 9p.m. ET, or email support@oclc.org. For support enquiries in the UK and Ireland, please contact the Support Desk by calling +44-(0)114-281 60 42 or e-mailing support-uk@oclc.org. Support is available between the hours of 09:00 and 17:30 (UK Time).