Configure links to your online catalog

About deep links

If you have a Web-accessible catalog, you can use deep links so that patrons can use them to arrive directly at an item record in your online catalog (OPAC). With deep links to your OPAC, a user can:

Find relevant titles via a keyword search.
See the detailed record for a specific title including a list of nearby WorldCat libraries that hold the item.
View the local record in the selected library's OPAC.

How to enable deep links

Deep links to your OPAC rely on the URL "syntaxes" (link structures) for your OPAC. To build your registry profile in OCLC Service Configuration:

Sign in to OCLC Service Configuration.
Navigate to WorldCat Registry > Online Catalog.

Watch a video

Configure online catalog links for WorldCat Discovery

Run time: 7:00

This video demonstrates how to configure links to your online catalog from WorldCat Discovery.

Complete the settings on the Online Catalog screen

Online Catalog Availability

To enable deep links, you must select Available Online.

Use this section to select the availability option for your online catalog.

The options are:

Available Online: Select this option if the institution has a catalog accessible by the general public on the Internet. Selecting this option allows the Online Catalog fields below to appear.
Available on Intranet Only: Select this option if the institution has a catalog, but it is only accessible through an internal internet and is not available to the general public on the Internet.
Not Available (default)

Online Catalog

It may take up to 24 hours for any changes to your institution's Online Catalog links to be reflected in other OCLC services. When you are finished, remember to Save Changes.

Online Catalog field definitions:

Library System Used: Select your vendor from the drop-down list.
Base URL: Main URL for your library’s catalog. Only one link can be used per profile.
Online Catalog Direct to ISBN: URL for the screen that displays the results of an ISBN search of your catalog.
Online Catalog Direct to ISSN: URL for the screen that displays the results of an ISSN search of your catalog.
e-Serial ISSN Search: URL for the screen that displays the results of an ISSN search of your catalog for electronic serials.
Online Catalog Direct to OCLC Number: URL for the screen that displays the results of an OCLC Number search of your catalog.
Add Leading Zeroes to the OCLC search Term: Click the check box to add leading zeros to the search term if your library configures its catalog to retain the leading zeros on OCLC numbers.
OCLC Number Prefix: Select which option you prefer for adding a prefix to the OCLC Number.
- Example: OCM
Custom Prefix: Custom prefix to add to all OCLC Numbers.
Online Catalog Direct to Multiple OCLC Numbers: The URL to conduct an OR search against the local catalog for multiple OCLC numbers which identify the same record. This will handle cases where many OCLC numbers have been reduced to a single OCLC number in the WorldCat database and the holdings in the local catalog may not match the holdings in WorldCat. Use {oclc} as a placeholder for where OCLC numbers can be inserted into the URL.

Tips on deep link construction

Remember to save your changes. Deep links from your WorldCat Discovery interface to records in your OPAC will be functional after a short delay
For WorldCat.org, if OCLC numbers are not consistently present in your local MARC records or are present but are not consistently indexed, we recommend leaving the Online Catalog Direct to OCLC Number field blank as we will not be able to search by ISSN/ISBN if the OCLC number search fails
For WorldCat Discovery, links are searched in the following order:
1. ISBN
2. ISSN
3. OCLC number ( Note: If you want to search by OCLC number, leave the ISBN and ISSN search strings blank)
Deep links are typically constructed so that the ISSN, ISBN or OCLC number is at the end of the URL string
Deep links cannot include semicolons (;) or carets (^) as they will cause links to break, even though they will seem to work correctly when tested
Deep links cannot include a unique session identifier (session ID). A session ID is a device for tracking a specific user's visit to a Web site which expires after a pre-set time of inactivity; it often appears as a string of letters and/or numbers. Sirsi catalog links almost always have a session ID value, so be sure to remove it when constructing your syntax

Help with manual configuration (WorldCat Discovery)

If your library uses WorldCat Discovery as your discovery layer for WorldShare Management Services, use the table below to create URLs for your Online Catalog links.

In each URL listed, bold text indicates the component of the URL that you replace with the library-specific prefix that is a part of your WorldCat Discovery custom URL (e.g. "mylibrary.on.worldcat.org").

Field	URL syntax
Base URL	https://libraryprefix.on.worldcat.org/
ISBN	https://libraryprefix.on.worldcat.org/search?queryString=bn:
ISSN	https://libraryprefix.on.worldcat.org/search?queryString=in:
OCLC Number	https://libraryprefix.on.worldcat.org/search?queryString=no:

Manual configuration and vendor-specific examples

If your test links do not correctly display your ILS, you can try to manually construct URL syntaxes. Contact OCLC Support or your ILS vendor for assistance.

A deep link's "syntax" is the basic structure of the link, focusing on where standard identifier information about the searched item (ISBN, ISSN or OCLC Number) is embedded within the URL. The table below shows common ILS vendors and the syntax of their deep-link URLs.

In each URL listed, bold text indicates the component of the URL that you replace with the base URL for your OPAC (e.g. "catalog.mylibrary.org"). Bold italicized text may need to be changed depending on your local configuration. (Important notes on some systems' URL structures are in the footnotes below.)

Vendor	URL syntax
Aleph	http://library_opac_baseURL/F/?func=findb&*local_base=*uli02&find_code=WSB&request= The func parameter on some systems may require find-b instead of findb. The name of the local_base parameter may vary by library. Replace the find_code parameter WSB with ISBN for ISBN, ISSN for ISSN, or 035 for OCLC Number. A second known format is: http://library_opac_baseURL/ALEPH/-/ext-find?base=librarybasecode&find=020= (Variations on the find parameter here are 020 for ISBN, 022 for ISSN, and 035 for OCLC Number ).
Dynix (iPac)	http://library_opac_baseURL/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=ISBN&term= Replace the index parameter ISBN with ISSN for ISSN and either UTIL, OCLC, or CNTRL for OCLC Number. Another variation is to use ISBNEX, ISSNEX and UTILEX, respectively, as the index terms. A third variation is .BN and .SN, with no known value for OCLC Number. On shared catalogs, an additional parameter &profile= is often used where the code that follows the equals sign indicates which library you are searching.
Endeavor (Voyager)	http://library_opac_baseURL/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&CNT=25&HIST=1&BOOL1=as+a+phrase&FLD1=ISBN+(ISBN)&SAB1= Above is the URL structure for ISBN. For ISSN, replace both instances of ISBN with ISSN. A different URL structure exists for OCLC Number: http://library_opac_baseURL/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&BOOL1=all+of+these&FLD1=Keyword+Anywhere+(GKEY)&CNT=25+records+per+page&SAB1=
EOS GLAS	http://library_opac_baseURL/GLASOPAC/Search/AdvancedSearch.asp?IsFirstDisplay=FALSE&GoPressed=TRUE&ShowOptions=FALSE&selectField1=8&txtSearch1=
EOS Q-Series / EOS.Web	http://library_opac_baseURL/*WEBOPAC*/search/AdvancedSearch.asp?IsFirstDisplay=FALSE&GoPressed=TRUE&ShowOptions=FALSE&selectField1=IS&txtSearch1=
Ex Libris (Primo)	Note: If your deep link is not working properly, please reach out to your vendor for a direct link URL. URL syntax for Primo Classic UI: https://PRIMO DOMAIN/primo_library/libweb/action/dlSearch.do?&mode=Basic&vid=VIEW ID&query=any,contains, URL syntax for Primo new UI: For OCLC number: https://PRIMO DOMAIN.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/search?tab=NAME OF TAB&search_scope=SEARCH SCOPE VALUE&vid=VIEW ID&query=any,contains, For ISSN: https://PRIMO DOMAIN.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/search?tab=NAME OF TAB&search_scope=SEARCH SCOPE VALUE&vid=VIEW ID&query=issn,contains, For ISBN: https://PRIMO DOMAIN.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/search?tab=NAME OF TAB&search_scope=SEARCH SCOPE VALUE&vid=VIEW ID&query=isbn,contains,
Innovative	http://library_opac_baseURL/search/i= Replace the closing i= with o= for OCLC Number.
Innovative (Polaris)	URL syntax for Polaris 3.0: http://library_opac_baseURL/Polaris/Search/z3950Gateway.dll/PowerPac.1?by=ISBN&loc=SearchResult&term= URL syntax for Polaris 3.1: http://library_opac_baseURL/Search/PowerPAC.zag?term=XXXISBNXXX&by=ISBN&type=Keyword&loc=FullDisplay&action=dash&SessionOrgID=1 URL syntax for Polaris 3.2: http://library_opac_baseURL/view.aspx?isbn=
Koha	http://library_opac_baseURL/cgi-bin/koha/opac-search.pl?idx=nb&q=
OLIB	http://library_opac_baseURL?isxn=
Pica	http://library_opac_baseURL/oclc_opc_link/oclc_opc_link.php?HILN=n&OCLCNum= Replace the "n" in "HILN=n" with the specific number for your library. If you do no know what your library number is, please contact OCLC Support.
Sirsi / DRA	http://library_opac_baseURL/web2/tramp2.exe/do_authority_search/guest?SETTING_KEY=English&location_group_filter=all&servers=1home&index=(&query= Above is the URL structure for ISBN. For ISSN, the left parenthesis following index= changes to a right parenthesis, as in index=). A second known format is: http://library_opac_baseURL/web2/tramp2.exe/do_ccl_search/guest?SETTING_KEY=English&location_group_filter=all&servers=library_code_optional_if_shared_OPAC&index=sb&query= (Variations on the index parameter here are ss for ISSN ). A third known format is: http://library_opac_baseURL/web2/tramp2.exe/do_authority_search/guest?SETTING_KEY=English&servers=1home&index=bn&query= (Variations on the index parameter here are sn for ISSN, and index=%5e for OCLC Number ).
Sirsi (Enterprise)	https://library_opac_baseURL/client/en_US/default/search/results&qu=ISBN
Sirsi (WebCat)	http://library_opac_baseURL/uhtbin/cgisirsi/x/0/5/?searchdata1= There are many known variations. Three common variations are: http://library_opac_baseURL/uhtbin/cgisirsi/x/0/0/5/?searchdata1= http://library_opac_baseURL/uhtbin/isbn-search/ http://library_opac_baseURL/uhtbin/cgisirsi.exe/x/0/5/?searchdata1= The last variation is used for Windows NT-based OPACs. See the tip below about session identifiers.
SoftLink (Liberty)	https://library_opac_baseURL/liberty/OpacLogin?corporation=librarycodede&action=search&operator=AND&url=/opac/search.do&mode=BASIC&openDetail=true&queryTerm=
Spydus	https://library.spydus.com/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?BS_NAME=SBN&BS= Above is the URL structure for ISBN. For ISSN, replace SBN with SSN.
SunRise	http://library_opac_baseURL/*client_name*/start.do?Query=540= Above is the URL structure for ISBN. For ISSN, replace Query=540= with Query=543=.
SydneyPlus	http://library_opac_baseURL/cgi/swebsch.exe?sort=til&sortType=asc&spfield=isbn&thesfld=false&lang=&ini=*splusweb*&uid=public&idck=&eid=&text= Above is the URL structure for ISBN. For ISSN, use: http://library_opac_baseURL/cgi/swebsch.exe?sort=til&sortType=asc&spfield=issn&thesfld=false&ini=splusweb&uid=public&text=
Talis (Prism)	http://library_opac_baseURL/TalisPrism/doSearch.do?searchType=advSearch&st1=controlNumber&searchLocations=talislms&sv1=
TLC	http://library_opac_baseURL/TLCScripts/interpac.dll?Browse&Config=PSL&SearchType=3&SearchField=4096&SearchData= Listed above is the URL structure for ISBN. For ISSN, the SearchField parameter becomes 8192. In some systems, the CONFIG parameter may change to PAC.

Need help?

Note that older or newer versions of some ILS/OPAC software may require modifications to the URLs above. For assistance on deep-link syntax, contact OCLC Support or your ILS vendor.