| ITSO CUL Launched via OCLC This is a news release from OCLC regarding the product we know as ITSO CUL but will soon become WorldCat Selection Service. Many thanks to Scott Wicks and all the other Cornell staff who made this possible. New WorldCat Selection service to streamline selection processDUBLIN, Ohio, USA, 18 May 2006—OCLC is working with Cornell University Library to develop a new WorldCat Selection service that will help libraries save time and money by streamlining the selection and ordering process for new library materials and delivering the corresponding WorldCat records. The WorldCat Selection service will allow selectors of new library materials to view records from multiple materials vendors in one central, comprehensive system. Libraries will be able to get WorldCat records for newly purchased materials into their integrated library system early in the technical services process. And the library's holding symbol will be automatically set on the WorldCat records for the materials. WorldCat Selection is being developed in partnership with Cornell University Library and is based on software known as the Integrated Tool for Selection and Ordering at Cornell University Library (ITSO CUL). The service is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2006. "ITSO CUL software has enabled Cornell's acquisitions operation to increase productivity and reduce costs associated with selection and ordering," said Scott Wicks, Head, Acquisitions and Information Organization, Library Technical Services, Cornell University Library. Cornell estimates that the software tool accounts for 40 percent of its firm orders and is saving approximately $100,000 per year in staff costs. The WorldCat Selection service automates the middle part of the acquisition workflow—the selection process. Librarians still "select" materials, but the need for sending items via paper slips or selecting items in multiple vendor systems is eliminated with WorldCat Selection. Acquisitions staff automatically load WorldCat MARC records into the integrated library system, eliminating the need to re-key data or import data from multiple sources. OCLC is in negotiations with materials vendors Aux Amateurs de Livres International, Blackwell's Book Services, Casalini Libri, and Harrassowitz to participate in the initial release of WorldCat Selection. OCLC will add more vendors as the service moves forward. "We believe that this collaboration between Cornell, OCLC and materials vendors has the potential to help institutions further streamline their technical services processes as well as reduce costs," said David Whitehair, OCLC WorldCat Selection Product Manager. "Ultimately, the WorldCat Selection service will benefit all library users who depend on new materials to advance their work and enhance their library experience." More information on the WorldCat Selection service can be found at www.oclc.org/selection. About Cornell University Library About OCLC |