Current AskQC office hours
AskQC@oclc.org (Ask Quality Control) is the longstanding email address to which catalogers can send questions to OCLC Metadata Quality staff about cataloging policies, standards, and practices.
OCLC cataloging community meeting
This virtual OCLC community event provides an opportunity to hear about important work by community members and learn about OCLC cataloging and metadata services. Visit the OCLC cataloging community event page for information on upcoming meetings and to access materials from past meetings.
AskQC office hours
Join OCLC Metadata Quality staff to discuss WorldCat quality issues and cataloging questions.
Time and call-in information for AskQC office hours
AskQC office hours. Return here for notification of time and date changes.
| Topic | Day/time (eastern) | Toll-free call-in number | Registration link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Understanding LCSH free-floating subdivisions Kate James will provide an overview of LCSH free-floating subdivisions, including pattern headings, scope notes, and general see also references. This session will help catalogers use information from subject authority records and the Subject Headings Manual (SHM) to build valid main heading and subdivision combinations. |
Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 10:00 AM Eastern Thursday, 22 January 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern |
US/Canada: 1-877-668-4490 |
13 January registration 22 January registration |
| Entity management in practice: EMCO and WorldCat Entities The Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) is developing a program for linked data entities called Entity Management Cooperative (EMCO). Participants in the EMCO Early Adopters Phase are creating entity descriptions and developing best practices for EMCO. WorldCat Entities (via OCLC Meridian) is one of the entity management registries supporting EMCO's work. Join OCLC's Anne Washington and PCC members to learn more about EMCO and using Meridian for identity management of persons. |
Tuesday, 10 March 2026 at 10:00 AM Eastern Thursday, 19 March 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern |
US/Canada: 1-877-668-4490 |
10 March registration 19 March registration |
| Exploring language codes beyond the MARC Code List for Languages There are several sources for language codes available, including the MARC Code List for Languages and ISO 639-3. OCLC’s Charlene Morrison will provide an overview of language codes used in WorldCat records, explaining why catalogers might go beyond the MARC language codes to describe resources. The presentation will include guidelines and examples for using non-MARC language codes. |
Tuesday, 14 April 2026 at 10:00 AM Eastern Thursday, 23 April 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern |
US/Canada: 1-877-668-4490 |
14 April registration 23 April registration |
| Merge maze: Cataloging in the changing environment OCLC maintains WorldCat quality through a variety of deduplication efforts, including record matching, Duplicate Detection and Resolution (DDR) software, and using machine learning to responsibly increase the scale of processing duplicate records. WorldCat Metadata Quality Team member Megan Johnson will address common concerns about record merging and explain how to provide data elements that appropriately distinguish unique records. |
Tuesday, 12 May 2026 at 10:00 AM Eastern Thursday, 21 May 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern |
US/Canada: 1-877-668-4490 |
12 May registration 21 May registration |