OCLC's Policy for WorldCat Records

Posted on behalf of Karen Calhoun, please forgive cross-posting 

Dear listserv readers, 

I am responding to the messages regarding OCLC's policy for the use and
transfer of WorldCat records, which was discussed at the recent OCLC
Members Council meeting last week.

I regret NYLINK's premature messages to its member libraries during this
week.  This week was intended as the updated policy's discussion period
with Members Council delegates and directors of OCLC's regional
networks.  NYLINK's message expresses the understanding that "access and
use of OCLC online systems by any institution after November 2nd will be
taken as acceptance of the new policy." Because of concerns expressed by
the Members Council delegates and network directors since last Monday,
October 20, the sentence to which the NYLINK message refers is no longer
in the policy.  

It's unfortunate that an update to the existing policy has been
announced to you in this way, because I believe the updated policy will
be generally welcomed by the OCLC membership, as it opens WorldCat
records to new, noncommercial uses by members and non-member libraries
alike.  The existing Guidelines for the Use and Transfer of OCLC-Derived
Records
(http://www.oclc.org/us/en/support/documentation/worldcat/records/guidel
ines/default.htm
<http://www.oclc.org/us/en/support/documentation/worldcat/records/guidel
ines/default.htm> ) was last updated in 1987.  In response to changing
needs and opportunities for the sharing of WorldCat records, OCLC has
been working in recent months to update the twenty-one year old policy.
In the process, OCLC impaneled a group of experts from member libraries
and partners around the world, who advised us how to update the existing
Guidelines.

The intent of the updated policy, due for release next week, is to: 

*	Respond to the changing information landscape 
*	Modernize the language of the Guidelines 
*	Make it clearer how WorldCat records can be used and shared 
*	Expand the opportunities for record sharing among members and
non-members 
*	Clarify OCLC's support for WorldCat data sharing that encourages
innovation and benefits libraries while protecting OCLC members'
investment in WorldCat 
	

The week of Nov. 2, OCLC is putting up new Web pages to inform members
about the updated policy and provide its text.  You will be seeing a
variety of announcements giving the URL.  In the meantime, if your
library is a member of NYLINK, and you have questions about the message
you have received from NYLINK, please don't hesitate to contact me at
800-848-5878. If I am not available to talk with you, your call will be
routed to a team that is prepared to respond to your concerns.

Karen Calhoun 
Vice President, WorldCat and Metadata Services 
800-848-5878 

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