Release Date: July 11, 2023
Introduction
This special WorldCat Discovery release will include beta access to a new search alert feature for WorldCat Discovery Premium and WMS subscribers:
You can enable the feature in OCLC Service Configuration> WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local > Display Settings > Search Alert. You can customize the following actions:
Note: Save search functionality must also be configured “ON” to use the search alert functionality. To configure Save search, please review your settings in OCLC Service Configuration: WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local > Display Settings > Save search.
General FAQ: What happens if a user creates an alert and then functionality is disabled by the institution?
These items require immediate action or decisions.
Action |
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Configure Search alert functionality if you'd like to opt into the beta experience |
In an effort to keep your staff informed of new features and changes, you may also want to consider these items.
Action |
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Review new functionality with your staff |
With access to this new search alert feature, users can monitor new, relevant information to saved search queries and will be automatically notified if new results meet their saved search alert criteria.
You will be able to configure search alert functionality for your institution. This new configuration can be found in OCLC Service Configuration: WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local > Display Settings > Search Alerts.
The default text “Create alert” will display as the action button on your WorldCat Discovery site. You can configure the following fields to fit the needs of your institution:
Note: The custom text will display for the action button on search results and saved search table in My Account. OCLC’s recommended default of “Search alert” will continue to display as the main header in My Account as an extension of your saved searches.
Note: Save search functionality must also be configured “On” to leverage the search alert functionality. To configure Save search, please review OCLC Service Configuration: WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local > Display Settings > Save search.
The option to “Create alert” will now display on the search results page:
Note: You can configure whether this feature displays to unauthenticated users or users who are not signed in. If you have configured it to display to unauthenticated users, the “Search alert” button will display on the search results and users will be prompted to sign in before they are able to use this feature.
Click the “Create alert” button on the search results page. A drawer will display so the user can review their search details. The user will be able to:
Alternatively, a user can now create a search alert from the Save search action:
Once an alert has been saved, the user will receive an email confirmation that the search alert has been successfully created:
Users can find their search alerts in the “Saved searches” module of the “Search activity” tab within My Account.
WorldCat Discovery will allow signed-in users to save 100 searches to their account, with a limit of 25 active search alerts.
Users who are signed in will be able to:
Note: Users may not create alerts for pre-existing saved searches in My Account. We recommend the user delete the older saved search and re-run a search to create a search alert from older saved search data.
If a user needs to change the email address of a search alert for any reason, the user will need to delete the existing saved search, re-run the search, and create a new search alert with the new email address.
Users will receive an email notification only when new results are available that match their saved search query. The email will contain a preview of up to five new results and a link to view the full result set in a customized view of WorldCat Discovery.
When a user clicks “See all new items” from their new results email, a customized view of Discovery will be available to review the entire results set:
Users will be able to:
Note: Functionality that is tied to user-generated search queries will be disabled in this view: Save Search, Create Alert, Search History, Retain Filters, Sort and Expand this Search. Additionally, all new search alert results will be returned in a flat “show all” view with Libraries Worldwide set as the holding library. Institution defaults will be applied for any new searches that are executed via the search box.
When a search alert has expired, the user will receive email notification which will prompt them to renew their alert by signing into My Account and toggling the alert from inactive to active.
Expiration Email
My Account View for Expired Alert
Support information for this product and related products can be found at:
When reporting an issue with WorldCat Discovery, it is extremely helpful to include the Request ID. The Request ID is found at the bottom of the screen on which the issue occurred. Including this information allows us to directly trace what happened on the request we are troubleshooting.