OBS OCLC COMMITTEE
	Susan Chinoransky George Washington University Law Library schinoransky@burns.nlc.gwu.edu

Assimilation of WLN Records into WorldCat
The following is reprinted from a posting on AUTOCAT, sent by Rick Newell of OCLC on April 28. This should help clarify the method of assimilation of WLN records into WorldCat. For more information, see the OCLC/WLN Merger Web Site at http://www.oclc.org/wln.

I. Record Matching and Holdings Addition

1. When a record in the WLN database is a national library record and is identified as such by a matching machine algorithm, holdings of WLN libraries will be added to the same national library record in WorldCat.
2. When a WLN Member-contributed record matches an OCLC Member-contributed record in WorldCat and is identified as such by a matching machine algorithm, holdings of WLN libraries will be attached to the matching record in WorldCat.
3. In cases where a WLN Member-contributed record is identified as unique to WorldCat by a machine algorithm, WLN records are being collected for more detailed analyses. After those analyses are completed, records that are not duplicates will be added along with holdings to WorldCat. Where duplicate records are identified, holdings from the WLN Member-contributed records will be added to the appropriate matching record in WorldCat.

II. WLN RID

The WLN RID in the 001 field and the WLN system control number (035) will not be retained in WorldCat records. A separate file containing the OCLC Control Number and matching WLN system control number is being created and maintained as processing proceeds. Therefore, when a bibliographic record is exported from WorldCat, it will not contain the WLN RID or the WLN system control number. However, when libraries order bibliographic records through the OCLC-MARC Subscription Service, the WLN system control number (035) can be added to the bibliographic records via the OCLC control number/WLN system control number matching file. Submitted by: Sharon M. West, Director of Library Services, OCLC/WLN Pacific Northwest Service Center.

Marquette University Law Library Selected as an OCLC Featured Member Library
I was delighted to see that one of own law libraries had been selected by OCLC in February as a Featured Member Library: Marquette University Law Library. The site includes several photographs of the library, as well as the library director. I would have liked to have seen a photo of Angelina Joseph, the cataloging librarian! You can get to the Featured Member Web site from the following URL: http://www.oclc.org/oclc/membership/.

New FirstSearch
FirstSearch is in the process of being redesigned; the new FirstSearch is due to be introduced in August 1999. It will have an improved interface that will be completely different and separate from the existing FirstSearch Web, DOSbased or Electronic Collections Online interfaces. Electronic Collections Online (ECO), a full-text electronic database, will be integrated into the new FirstSearch to provide the flexibility to use the components on the system in a more seamless manner. In addition, administrative control over the access of these components will be more sophisticated. Account administrators will be able to control account characteristics such as: types of access provided to databases; full text, and interlibrary loan; default holdings displays; some settings within the search interface; and many aspects of the FirstSearch interlibrary loan form. For more information on the New FirstSearch, go to the following URL: http://www.oclc.org/oclc/menu/fs_new.htm.

Bigger (and Better?) Institution Symbols
Because the number of OCLC participating libraries is over 33,000, all possible combinations of three-character institution identification symbols will soon be exhausted. As a result, OCLC will expand its identification symbols to between five and eight characters. Don't fret, however, only new member and participating libraries will receive a code from the expanded system. Existing codes will be retained. The new codes will be formulated according to a revised scheme. The first two characters will be taken from the USMARC Code List for Countries; the next two characters will come from the name of the institution; the last character will be randomly assigned and will be either alphabetic or numeric.

Like to Teach?
With its success of the past two years, the OCLC Institute is ready to expand in order to reach a more geographically diverse audience. Therefore, OCLC is looking for qualified individuals to teach in its institutes. These individuals should "possess subject or technical expertise in an area of interest to the OCLC Institute and its users, have demonstrated presentation skills and experience, feel a strong dedication to ongoing education and knowledge exchange, share a future vision for knowledge management and want to contribute actively to its realization, and desire opportunities for personal and professional growth." For more information, go to the following URL: http://purl.org/oclc/institute/.

If you have an interest in pursuing this opportunity, please contact Erik Jul, associate director, OCLC Institute, at jul@oclc.org or 1-800-848-5878.