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OCLC ILL Basics and Tricks |
Course Home Page
Lesson #1, Introduction to OCLC, Constant Data, Searching WorldCat
Lesson #2, Looking at Holdings, Sending Request
Lesson #3, Basic ILL Cycle, the Request Manager and Batch Processing
Lesson #4, ILL Guidelines, Union List Information and ILL Policies
Introduction to the Course
Welcome to the first lesson of the OCLC ILL Basics and Tricks courses. This lesson focus is introductory and we'll cover our first uses of the OCLC WorldCat Resource Sharing (WRS) system. First off are brief descriptions of OCLC and the WRS. Then we'll launch into more details of the first setup function in WRS, setting Constant Data, and we'll start exploring how to search WorldCat the bibliographic database we use for ILL. Then we'll end it all with our first assignment. You can contact me by using the Discussion function within the Desire2Learn courseware, or at times it might be better to email me directly at:
Course hint. If you have a large enough computer screen you might want to try opening up 2 or more browser windows. One to display the course itself in it's Desire2Learn environment. The other window would be to the OCLC WorldCat Resource Sharing system so you can follow along with the lesson. Log in instructions are given below with special play authorizations for you to use listed in the Assignment area at the bottom of this page.
OCLC Home http://www.oclc.org
OCLC WorldCat Resource Sharing http://www.oclc.org/resourcesharing/default.htm
WRS Documentation http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/resourcesharing/default.htm
WRS Tutorials http://www.oclc.org/support/training/firstsearch/tutorial/These online tutorials cover:
WRS Overview
User Interface and Logon
Borrower Basics
Lender Basics
Interlibrary Loan Fee Management
Constant Data
How to Use the Request Manager
Batch Processing
Conditional Notes
Custom HoldingsSystem requirements for web-based tutorials:
Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.5, service pack 1 and above.
Netscape Navigator 7.2 and above.
Firefox 1.0 and other Mozilla-based browsers.
Pop-up blockers disabled.
Small fonts required.
Macintosh® computers, and Unix® operating systems are not supported for these tutorials.System requirements for Flash-based tutorials:
Macromedia Flash Player.
Best viewed in 1024x768 screen resolution.
Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher.
Netscape® 7.x or higher.
For other browsers, check the list of system requirements on the Macromedia Web site at http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/productinfo/systemreqs/Using FirstSearch, including searching http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/firstsearch/using/refcard/default.htm
ILL Reports (all types) http://www.stats.oclc.org/cusp/nav
LVIS http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/who_we_are/
OCLC/programs_and_services/lvis_description.html
ILL Policies Quick Reference http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/resourcesharing/libpolicies/getstart/
ILL Policies Service http://illpolicies.oclc.org
Find an OCLC Library http://www.oclc.org/contacts/libraries/
Constant Data allows you to pre-define information about your library that will be automatically applied to every Interloan request you process, either as a borrower or as a lender. You can have 100's of Constant Datas and we will explore their many uses in the Tricks portion of our courses. Setting up one basic everyday "default" Constant Data starts you using the WRS system in an efficient manner saving you lots of typing energy.
We'll start off by logging into WRS at: http://firstsearch.oclc.org/
Use your ILL authorization number and password to fill out the web form. The system will automatically recognize you as a WRS user and present you with the correct options.
In order to create or edit a Constant Data record you need to navigate to the Admin site. When you log in as above you'll be presented with your default WorldCat search page.
If you click on the Resource Sharing tab you'll be taken to the WRS working area. Note now the Admin link. Click the icon to go to the Admin area.
This action will open a new web browser window to the Admin area. Eventually you'll become quite familiar with many parts of this web site. But for now we'll make a beeline to the Constant Data area. On the left hand side click the drop down in the Staff ILL Settings area.
and choose Constant Data.
You will be shown your library's Default Constant Data record. This is the record that is always automatically active when you begin a new WRS session by logging in. You can change the active record once you've logged in and even on the fly while working on a request. We'll explore that process later.
Note the drop down to view already created Constant Datas. Also a blank box for creating brand new CD records. You'll also note the action buttons above that are pretty straight forward.
An extremely important function to always keep in mind when working in the OCLC WRS. There's almost always some kind of "Save Changes" button on every web form page. If you do NOT click that button BEFORE leaving that page, all your changes will be lost. So get used to always clicking those buttons any time you make changes in any kind of record.
Below I've captured an example Default Constant Data record. See some of the explanatory notes after the display.
First off note the ? buttons. They pop up specific help for each field. Use them.
You'll notice the CD record is divided into 3 sections:
Borrowing Library Information
Need Before, date defaults to 30 days and most folks leave it alone
Edition, most folks use either "any" or "latest" depending on which situation best serves their patrons the most often. Bibliographic records with specific edition statements will always display that information.
Ship To, this is your good address. Always use a street address as UPS and Fedex will NOT deliver to a P.O. Box. If you use a P.O. Box then simply list both the box and your street address in your addresses. It works and covers all situations. Note natural line breaks in the address are divided by "/". This will cause a printer to insert a carriage return and print the address in block format, like a mailing label.
Bill To will by default fill in with your Ship To information if you leave it blank.
Ship Via, If you use a default shipping method, particularly in a consortial arrangement, make sure you note it here. In Wisconsin we tend to make extensive use of the Red Box, or SCLS, delivery service. If you leave this field blank the system will automatically fill in "Library Rate" which you very well may not want.
IFM and Maximum Cost, if you're willing to pay for filling requests you should definitely use IFM, which we'll discuss in depth later in the course. In Max Cost enter the amount you are willing to pay as a flat number, no formulas.
Copyright Compliance, another topic we'll discuss in depth later, for now which way would you like the copyright field automatically filled by default? none? ccl? or ccg? base your choice on which you use most often.
Patron Information
It's easy to think "Why should I fill out all of a patrons information in Constant Data? It changes on every request." True, but there are exceptions which are worth noting. Do you have a patron that just made a large number of requests? You could change Constant Data once, create all the requests and then re-edit your CD after. This would be a whole lot less typing, in particular if you capture quite a bit of information about your patrons. Going a step further perhaps you have a number of frequent patrons, who you know well. Since you can have 100's of CDs you might want to create a separate CD for each of those "super patrons", which can be used on the fly as the requests are created. Finally if your library is acting as a clearing house for other libraries you can have a separate CD for each of those libraries with the correct Ship To address for each one to have materials sent directly to them.
Lending Information
Due Date, is by default 28 days which you can change. This would be for returnable materials such as books. The major option is to indicate filling a photocopy request, which you wouldn't want returned. You tell the WRS system it's a photocopy request by using the Due Date: N/A. In your CD you would choose which ever kind of request you fill the most, to save the most editing when processing a request.
IFM and Lending Charges, if you charge, again you'll absolutely want to use IFM. As in Max Cost above charge a flat rate and do not use formulas. This saves everyone, especially yourself lots of time. If you're worried about the charges, look at your past charging requests, get an average, add say a dollar and there's your fee.
Shipped, this is ALWAYS "-0", do not change it. It means you did your updating on the date you shipped the item, and you shipped the item on the day you did your updating. Yup sometimes these two actions slip a day depending on when in the day you do either activity, but that's fine.
Return to, use that good shipping address as described above. This is especially important if you want to get your materials back <grin>.
Return Via, see Ship Via above.
When we start creating ILL requests in Lesson #2 you'll see exactly how Constant Data automatically fills in so much information for you. For now you know how to create and edit a CD and you'll be able to do many more. When you create a request, or respond as a Lender to a request the amount of information you'll need to supply each time will be drastically reduced and your information will be consistent across all your requests.
As part of your first Assignment you get to create your own CD. See that assignment below after we first cover Searching.
Let's leave the Admin area by simply clicking the "Exit" link in the upper left hand corner. Then you'll probably want to close that separate browser window. Back at the WRS web site let's explore searching and finding bibliographic records that meet our patrons needs.
When you log onto the WRS system by default you're starting at the Searching Tab. There are 3 searching interfaces.
Basic, designed mainly for patrons, play with it if you wish
Advanced, the default view for staff use, we'll explore this one fully
Expert, pretty useless unless you are a very long time experienced OCLC user and know all the search commands
As you can see below the Advanced search gives you a bunch of options to make a very precise search, but you can also just pop in a key word and hit return. Both powerful and simple.
Search for, the drop down allows you to choose between 30 specific indexes, which you can also combine with boolean and, or, not operators. You can also type the operators directly in the field, or typing in keywords automatically uses "and".
Language, the drop down allows a choice of 30 of any of the highest volume held languages, plus a link to see the 100's of all recognized OCLC languages.
Limits, allow many ways to slice and dice your search, play and explore.
Once you execute that search the real power kicks in. Note the results display below and especially note the ...
Single most important Search feature that is critical to ILL ... the item with the highest number of holding libraries is listed first, and all other items are listed in descending order.
The fact that you can now slice and dice the results is many many ways is the extra sweet icing on the cake.
Make extra special note of the tabs just above the result listings. They are already set up to execute limits for whatever format types your search revealed. Click on the tab to execute that new limit search. Clicking a linked title takes you to that specific record. Clicking on Libraries will start to show you the lists of the libraries that own that item. You're welcome to explore those links on your own. We'll cover them in depth in Lesson #2.
There are so many options at this point that the best way to proceed is to play. Which is exactly what you get to do in your first assignment below.
We have 2 play accounts to use in the course. These accounts can be used in a way to experience the full WRS system but without interfering with regular ILL work being done by other libraries. In order to share our 2 accounts we'll divide usage alphabetically by last name:
If your last name falls between Andrew and Melanz, use
autho number: 100-017-631
password: tie
If your last name falls between Meulemans and Zlosel, use
autho number: 100-017-630
password: try
Follow the example in the Constant Data section above. Go to the Admin area. Go to the Constant Data area. Create a new Constant data. Fill in the data areas however you like. Remember to click the Save button. Creativity makes it more fun for me to review the records. Name your new CD record after yourself.
So if your Desire2Learn NetID is for example: jsmith.ill
then name your CD: jsmith.
This way I can tell if you completed the first part of your assignment.
For the second part, after you've created your CD, then go back to the WRS system and play with searching. Look for books and serials and AV materials. Whatever is your interest. Make sure to search for both wildly popular items as well as the obscure to see how the system works.
Then log onto the discussion section of our Desire2Learn course and tell everyone at least:
one thing you love about searching WorldCat, and
one thing you hate about searching WorldCat, and
make any comments you want about the creating a CD process
and finally read the discussions of your classmates and respond to them.
I'll be monitoring and participating too.