Learner guide: Create and replace WorldCat bibliographic records

Course overview

At the end of this course,  Create and replace WorldCat bibliographic records,  learners will be able to create a new bibliographic record from a work form; derive a new bibliographic record from an existing record; upgrade an abbreviated or minimal level bibliographic record; replace a WorldCat bibliographic record; and access help and documentation on when to input a new WorldCat record, and guidelines for replacing WorldCat records.

Before creating a new WorldCat record

• First, do a thorough search in WorldCat.
• If in doubt whether you’ve found a matching record, refer to Bibliographic Formats and Standards, Ch. 4 When to Input a New Record.
  • 4.1. General guidelines
  • 4.2 Field by field guidelines
• If no matching bibliographic record exists in WorldCat, and you’ve determined you need to create a new record:
  • Follow current cataloging practices, e.g., Resource Description & Access (RDA).
  • Refer to Bibliographic Formats and Standards, Ch. 2 Online Cataloging.

Create a new WorldCat record from a work form

• From the left navigation bar, select Create Record.
  • Select Type: MARC21 View or Text View.
  • Select Format: AACR2 or RDA.
  • Select Material Type Template: Book, etc.
  • (Optional) Apply constant data.
  • Click Create.
• Enter information and edit the record as appropriate.
• To add the new record to WorldCat, from the Save menu, click Add Record to WorldCat.
  Or
  To add the new record to WorldCat and set your holdings, from the Save menu, click Add Record and Set WorldCat Holding, or for WMS libraries, click Add Record and Set Holding Audience Level.

Derive a new WorldCat record from an existing record

Use Derive to copy data from an existing WorldCat bibliographic record to a new record (for example, for a different edition or a different physical format).

• Retrieve an existing WorldCat bibliographic record.
• From a list of records, click Derive, OR while viewing a single bibliographic record, click the Record menu, click Derive Bibliographic Record, and then click Derive, Derive with Default Constant Data or Derive and Preview Constant Data.
• If needed, from the Record menu, click Change Material Type.
• Edit the record as appropriate.
• To add the new record to WorldCat, from the Save menu, click Add Record to WorldCat.
  Or
  To add the new record to WorldCat and set your holdings, from the Save menu, click Add Record and Set WorldCat Holding, or for WMS libraries, click Add Record and Set Holding Audience Level.
• To save the record to your institution’s online save file, from the Save menu, click Save In-Progress Record.

Replace WorldCat bibliographic records

• Saves changes to the WorldCat record.
• If you controlled headings and / or edited a record, you must Replace for the changes to be retained on the WorldCat bibliographic record.
• Follow Expert Community Guidelines to see which fields you can edit, and which records you can replace.
• While viewing the edited bibliographic record, go to Save > Replace Bibliographic Record.
• Your OCLC symbol will be added to 040 $d.

Upgrade WorldCat bibliographic records to a higher Encoding Level (ELvl)

Encoding level (ELvl) identifies the standard to which a record conforms:

• Full-level cataloging seeks to ensure inclusion of the essential data elements necessary to meet user needs; meets the requirements of RDA Core or AACR2 second-level description. Full-level cataloging uses ELvl code blank.
• Minimal-level cataloging represents the minimum data necessary to identify an item. Meets the requirements of AACR2 first-level description, rule 1.0D1. Minimal-level cataloging uses ELvl codes 7.
• Abbreviated-level cataloging - Brief records that do not meet the requirements of minimal-level cataloging specifications. Abbreviated-level cataloging uses ELvl code 3.

Upgrade records to become full-level records, or upgrade abbreviated and partial level records to minimal-level or full-level records. *

*Requires full-level or higher cataloging authorizations or roles.

• Exceptions for editing encoding level with MARC encoding level codes include BIBCO records (i.e., with field 042 pcc) and CONSER records(i.e., with a CONSER code in field 042).
• Encoding level 8. Prepublication monograph level records, including Cataloging-in-Publication (CIP) program records: With cataloging full-level authorization (Connexion) or full role (Record Manager), you may add or edit any field in these records, but you cannot change the encoding level value itself (for pcc records). Do not edit fields 010, 040, national call number fields (except to modify date of publication if necessary), or field 263 in CIP records.

 For editing capabilities for non-PCC records see Bibliographic Formats and Standards 5.2.2 Editing capabilities for non-PCC records.

 For editing capabilities for PCC records see Bibliographic Formats and Standards 5.2.3 Editing capabilities for PCC records.

Test your knowledge

1. List two reasons why it is important to search WorldCat thoroughly before adding a new record to WorldCat.
2. For each of the following fields, write M, R or O to indicate if it is Mandatory (M), Required if applicable (R), or Optional (O) for Encoding level Full and Minimal records. (See Input standards for each field in Bibliographic Formats and Standards).

   Field	Encoding level <blank> (Full level)	Encoding level 7 (Minimal level)
   Call number (050, 082, etc.)
   1xx (Main entry)
   240 (Uniform title)
   245 (Title statement)
   246 (Varying form of title)
   260/264 (Publication, etc.)

    

3. Use section 4.1 and 4.2 of Bibliographic Formats and Standards to answer these two questions:
   1. True or False: If the book you’re cataloging has an ISBN that’s not in the record you found in WorldCat, you should input a new record.
   2. True or False: If you are cataloging an audio compact disc but the closest match you can find in WorldCat is for an audio cassette, you should input a new record.
4. You have searched WorldCat, and the only record that matches your item reads in part:
   040      UAB $b fre $c UAB
   020      0205605451
   020      9780205605453
   050 4  PE1417 $b .O57 2009
   090      $b
   049      TQ@A
   245 00  One world, many cultures /$c [édité par] Stuart Hirschberg, Terry Hirschberg.
   250      7th ed.
   260      New York ; $a Toronto : $b Pearson Longman, $c c2009.
   300      xvi, 527 p. : $b ill., cartes ; $c 23 cm.
   504      Comprend des réf. bibliogr. et des index.
   
   Answer these questions:
   1. How can you tell that the language of cataloging for this record is not English?
   2. If your library catalogs in English, can you input a new WorldCat bibliographic record in English if one doesn’t already exist?
5. True or False: When you are creating original records in Record Manager, you must enter your OCLC symbol in field 040, subfields $a and $c.
6. What are two ways of creating a new bibliographic record in Record Manager?
7. You have found a bibliographic record that matches the item you are cataloging, but it contains only MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and your library uses LC Subject Headings. What should you do?
   1. Delete the Medical Subject Headings and add LC Subject Headings.
   2. Add LC Subject Headings but do not delete the MeSH.
   3. Create a new WorldCat bibliographic record.
8. True or False: You can edit and replace any WorldCat bibliographic record with a Cataloging Full role in Record Manager.
9. What values for ELvl should OCLC full cataloging libraries use for Full level records?
10. What value for ELvl should OCLC full cataloging libraries use for Minimal level records?
11. Respond to each situation below, assuming you have a full-level cataloging role in Record Manager:
    1. You find a record coded level 7, which is missing the appropriate 240, 246, and 6XX fields. Can you “fix” this record yourself?
    2. You find a record coded level 3, with an incomplete title and missing several useful fields. Can you “fix” this record yourself?
    3. You find a record coded level blank with a typo in the 520 field. Can you “fix” this record yourself?
    4. You find a record coded level blank with a typo in the 246 field. Can you “fix” this record yourself?
12. Can you replace this record through:
    1. Minimal level upgrade (Yes or No)
    2. Database enrichment (Yes or No)
    3. Add/edit fields not on database enrichment table (Yes or No)
       
13. Can you replace this record through:
    1. Minimal level upgrade (Yes or No)
    2. Database enrichment (Yes or No)
    3. Add/edit fields not on database enrichment table (Yes or No)
       
14. Can you replace this record through:
    1. Minimal level upgrade (Yes or No)
    2. Database enrichment (Yes or No)
    3. Add/edit fields not on database enrichment table (Yes or No)
       
15. Can you replace this record through:
    1. Minimal level upgrade (Yes or No)
    2. Database enrichment (Yes or No)
    3. Add/edit fields not on database enrichment table (Yes or No)
       

Answer key

1. You should search WorldCat before adding a new bibliographic record to WorldCat to avoid introducing duplicate records. And if a record for a similar item exists, you may choose to derive a new record from it, rather than creating a new record from a blank work form.
2.  

   Field	Encoding Level <blank> (Full level)	Encoding Level 7 (Minimal level)
   Call number (050, 082, etc.)	R	O
   1xx (Main entry)	R	R
   240 (Uniform title)	R	O
   245 (Title statement)	M	M
   246 (Varying form of title)	R	O
   260/264 (Publication, etc.)	R	R

    

3. a. False
   b. True
4. a. The 040 field has a subfield $b with a code other than eng, and the 300 and 504 fields have non-English words.
   b. Yes. If your library catalogs in English, you can input a parallel record in English if one does not already exist.
5. False. These are automatically entered when you create a new bibliographic record.
6. a. From the blank workform
   b. By deriving a new record from an existing record
7. b. Add LC Subject Headings but do not delete MeSH
8. False: You can only edit and replace non-PCC (BIBCO and CONSER), with the exception being that you can add or edit fields in PCC BIBCO records that are included in the enrichment table in BFAS 5.2.3.
9. OCLC full cataloging libraries should use ELvl blank for Full level records.
10. OCLC full cataloging libraries should use ELvl 7 for Minimal level records
11. a. Yes, if the record is not a PCC (BIBCO or CONSER) record. You can also upgrade the record to blank, after adding these fields and other fields required for Full level records.
    b. Yes
    c. Yes, if the record is not a PCC CONSER record. Field 520 is included in the enrichment table in BFAS 5.2.3.
    d. Yes, if the record is not a PCC CONSER record.

	OCLC #	Minimal upgrade	Database enrichment	Add/edit other fields	Notes
Note: The following answers may be different based on current state of records in WorldCat
12.	71542631	No	Yes	Yes	ELvl = blank (full); Field 042 does not contain PCC code
13.	60245454	No	Yes	No	ELvl = 4 with 042 pcc (full); Upgrade/change record only special authorization, except for database enrichment
14.	779696233	Yes	Yes	Yes	ELvl = M (less than full); no field 042
15.	1248598643	No (unless record is not pcc)	Yes	Yes	ELvl = 8 with 042 pcc