Comments on: What would it look like if OCLC was broken up?

By: Libraries, Cooperatives, OCLC and TTLLP | Software Cooperative News

Libraries, Cooperatives, OCLC and TTLLP | Software Cooperative News — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:35:44 +0000

[...] Just like CC and Open Source? Still “No” is a great illustration of how some librarians think OCLC is reaching the wrong conclusion, which then leads to asking Is OCLC truly cooperative? and What would it look like if OCLC was broken up? [...]

By: A look at the Policy for Use and Transfer of WorldCat Records revision | Terry’s Worklog

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:35:01 +0000

[...] But I won’t rehash this since I did write an earlier thought piece on the subject (http://oregonstate.edu/~reeset/blog/archives/579) a few days [...]

By: Administrator

Administrator — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:43:58 +0000

Shirley,

I think to some degree they are trying to do this now (though abeit, at times poorly) with the import of metadata from various vendor sites, integration of Onyx metadata, etc. However, you do raise a good question. For a number of years I’ve actually been pestering folks at OCLC to open up their APIs for metadata contribution simply so I could integrate this functionality with MarcEdit — but even today, the ability to write to the database (even for the membership) is fairly restrictive (ie., limited to a handful of mechanisms). This is one of the reasons why I liked the Open Library project. This project is predicated on the idea that metadata creation could be sustained in the form of a wiki (or, at least, using wiki-like functionality). Personally, I would love to see OCLC embrace this type of model — though, I would imagine that this too would bring a shift in how we consider authority control, etc. But, I do think these are all good conversations for the membership to be having.

–TR

By: Shirley

Shirley — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:35:48 +0000

Interesting comments, as always. One question: do you think that OCLC is up to the technical challenges associated with actually accepting and integrating enhancements to metadata made outside of WorldCat into in the WorldCat database/infrastructure? From where I sit, I think development of this type of functionality this is incredibly important for the future health and viability of WorldCat (with our without a breakup), but I’ve seen little evidence that OCLC is prepared, organizationally or technically, to design and implement an architecture that would enable this to happen. OCLC’s strategy for protecting the integrity of the WorldCat database for years has been to massively restrict the ability to make changes to master records. Opening the system up to accept changes made by outside entities would require a major conceptual shift. Is OCLC ready to consider that?

By: Edward M. Corrado

Edward M. Corrado — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:46:40 +0000

Great thoughts! I’m not sure what everyone else thinks, but your two scenarios make sense to me. I think scenario #1 would actually increase the value of WorldCat, and certainly it would further the missions of libraries a lot more then the current strategy of keeping it closed. OCLC would have the local expertise to capitalize on the data and they would have a leg up on the competition – thus they would possibly increase their revenues in other areas. I am sure there are other business models they can use to protect their members investment in WorldCat as well.