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WorldCat Discovery release notes, February 2023

 

Release Date: February 22, 2023

Introduction 

The following release notes are for the FEBRUARY 22, 2023 release of WorldCat Discovery.

WorldCat Discovery February Release Highlights 

This release of WorldCat Discovery includes the following enhancements as well as several bug fixes:

  • Find the right item with enhanced availability table sorting*
  • Place WorldShare ILL requests for items without an OCLC number
  • Use a blank ILL form to place requests without finding an item

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

*= WMS libraries only

Include Request ID with problem reports

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. 

Screenshot of the footer in WorldCat Discovery, where the Request ID can be found to submit with problem reports.

Recommended Actions

Configure the new WorldShare ILL request form

WorldCat Discovery libraries using WorldShare ILL are invited to pilot the new WorldShare ILL request form. This new form is highly customizable to support library and patron needs.

For more information on how to configure this new experience, please see the WorldShare ILL release notes, December 2022.

 

New features and enhancements

Find the right item with enhanced availability table sorting*

* = WMS libraries only

Sort the availability by enumeration and chronology for serials and multipart items independently of loan status

Previously, WorldCat Discovery used a single table layout to display and sort item availability details for all types of materials — serial item holdings and multipart item holdings as well as single part item holdings.

With this release, WMS libraries and users will have access to new availability tables for serials and multipart items that include an additional column to display and sort enumeration and chronology data independently of loan status. This enhancement will better support users who seek to identify particular volumes or issues of a serial or multipart item.

Screenshot depicting an availability table with items sorted by volume:issue independent of loan status.

 

Single part items will continue to use the existing three-column table with Shelving Location, Call Number, and Status.

Screenshot showing the availability table for single-part items with three columns for shelving location, call number, and status.

Configure separate default availability table sort for serials, multipart and single part items

With the February release, WMS libraries will be able to separately configure the default sort options for the availability tables for single part, multipart and serials holdings. This will enable libraries to configure a default chronological (ascending) or reverse chronological (descending) sort on volumes and issues for serials and multipart items.


Screenshot of service configuration with default sort options for single-part item holdings, multipart item holdings, and serial item holdings

 

To configure default sort options for the availability table, navigate to Service Configuration > WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local > Item Detail Settings > Availability Detail Sort Options.

 

Place WorldShare ILL requests for items without an OCLC number

Libraries can leverage the robust configuration options of the new WorldShare ILL form to enable users to place requests for items without an OCLC number.

To configure this form, navigate to Service Configuration > WorldShare ILL > Patron Request Workforms >WorldShare ILL Request Form.

This new form supports additional configuration options for bibliographic fields, enabling libraries to choose to make a field required/not required, as well as editable/not editable.

Screenshot of service configuration for the WorldShare ILL form.

Use a blank ILL form to place requests without finding an item

Libraries can use the new WorldShare ILL form as a blank form to support users who want to place an ILL request without first finding an item.

To configure a blank form, navigate to Service Configuration > WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local > User Interface Options > Custom Links. Create a new custom link, configuring the display text and any custom translations, and then populating the URL field with the registered OpenURL resolver your library created when configuring the new WorldShare ILL form.

Once changes have been saved, the blank form will display in the Resources dropdown menu for users.

Screenshot of the resources dropdown menu, depicting a link to the blank ILL form with display text "ILL Request Form".

Bug fixes

Error message no longer shows when saving settings in service configuration

Previously, when saving a change in Service Configuration, the changes would save but users would sometimes be prompted with an error message stating otherwise. With this release, changes will save without displaying an error message.

Author filters with an apostrophe no longer cause an error

Previously, when performing a search, if the author facet was used to narrow results and the author’s name contained an apostrophe, no search results were returned. With this release, the issue has been resolved.

Talis reading lists now display in alphabetical order

With this release, for libraries with a third-party integration with Talis Reading Lists, lists will now display in alphabetical order.

"Libraries Worldwide” facet now displays translation

Previously, when the “Libraries Worldwide” search facet was selected, the facet display at the top of the results screen did not display the translation for users viewing WorldCat Discovery in languages other than English. With this release, the facets display will honor language selection.

Screenshot displaying "Libraries Worldwide" chip correctly tranaslating as "Bibliothèques à travers le monde"

New content

Since the last release of WorldCat Discovery, we have released eight new databases to the OCLC central index. As a reminder, the central index provides content for WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat.org.

You can enable these databases as search options in the Licensed Content and Databases module of the OCLC Service Configuration site. Please remember that your library must have a valid subscription to these databases in order to enable them.

Please find below and in the attached document the database names and providers for reference. The complete list of databases is available here.

Available in WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat.org

  • AAP Journals from American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Full suite of journals published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, covering peer-reviewed original research, clinical journal review, commentary, and news in the field of pediatrics.
  • African American Newspapers in the South, 1870-1926 from Accessible Archives, Inc.: This collection documents the African American press in the South from Reconstruction through the Jim Crow period.
  • J-STAGE from Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST): J-STAGE is an electronic journal platform for science and technology information in Japan, developed and managed by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). J-STAGE aims to accelerate the speed of communication and ensure the internationalization of the science and technology information published in Japan.
  • LGBT Studies in Video, Volume 2 - Australia from Alexander Street: A collection of award-winning documentaries, interviews, archival footage, and selected feature films.
  • LGBT Studies in Video, Volume 2 - Canada from Alexander Street: A collection of award-winning documentaries, interviews, archival footage, and selected feature films.
  • LGBT Studies in Video, Volume 2 - China from Alexander Street: A collection of award-winning documentaries, interviews, archival footage, and selected feature films.
  • LGBT Studies in Video, Volume 2 – Outside North America from Alexander Street: A collection of award-winning documentaries, interviews, archival footage, and selected feature films.
  • LGBT Studies in Video, Volume 2 – United States from Alexander Street: A collection of award-winning documentaries, interviews, archival footage, and selected feature films.

Important links

Product website

More product information can be found here.

Support website(s)

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

  1. WorldCat Discovery support resources  
  2. WorldCat Discovery training
  3. Release notes 
  4. OCLC customer support
  5. 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).