Missing Libraries
Hello everyone. We've received feedback from patrons, authors, and librarians in regard to libraries disappearing from items that they hold. We have verified that something is indeed amiss with the holdings data on WorldCat.org and our development teams are working now to track down and correct the problem. Thank you for your patience and I'll reply here when I have a status update.
Bob Schulz
Product Manager
WorldCat.org
UPDATE: You should now be seeing complete library holdings on all items current as of 11:00 AM ET Tuesday morning. Please note that holdings are currently static, meaning that no new updated holdings are yet being added. We expect to have live, updating holdings visible again by this weekend, but all missing holdings that were reported this weekend are back in WorldCat.org. Thanks again for your patience.
FINAL UPDATE: As of 2:00 PM ET Thursday, all live library holdings are now available.
On July 31, 2008 at 4:57 AM arnold1198 said:
I was going to complain on a similar problem but thank that before I could complain you are solving it.
_____________
ARNOLD
Connecticut Treatment Centers
On July 31, 2008 at 10:11 AM Lawrence A. Coben said:
Why is WorldCat always "behind" in listing the libraries that own one of my books? Is it because libraries fail to notify WorldCat when they order or receive a book? WC is always behind by about fifty libraries, to my knowledge.
Thank you.
On July 31, 2008 at 10:41 AM Lawrence A. Coben said:
Why are the results in each WorldCat site limited to just one mode of presentation? In the "available to everyone" site, I cannot sort the results by state, for example, whereas in the " access limited to those who can get to the FirstSearch" site, I can only see the results sorted that way. Am I overlooking some way to manipulate the results?
Thank you.
Lawrence A. Coben
On August 1, 2008 at 10:37 AM Bob Schulz
said:
Hello Lawrence, thanks for your post. WorldCat.org is what we consider a free "end user" interface to the WorldCat database whereas FirstSearch is a librarian interface. The needs of these groups are very different and so the interfaces are very different. There is currently no way in WorldCat.org to manipulate search results by location, nor is there a way to sort holding libraries on a given item by state. The sort order is by locations closest to your location as the purpose of the site is to show users which libraries closest to them hold the item. You can also enter a state or country in the location box on a detailed item record to see only those institutions within that state or country that hold the item.
Bob
On August 1, 2008 at 10:47 AM Bob Schulz
said:
The library does need to update their holdings of your book in WorldCat in order for us to reflect that in WorldCat.org. This can take some time, depending on the library and their cataloging process. Also, the libraries we display are those who have chosen to participate in WorldCat.org by purchasing a WorldCat subscription. WorldCat.org is funded by participating libraries so that we may expose their holdings and services to the web at large for users to benefit from. If the institution(s) that hold your book are not participants, or have chosen not to appear, then you would not see their holdings.
On August 1, 2008 at 10:49 AM Bob Schulz
said:
Thanks for your message Arnold. Everything should indeed be back to normal now so let me know if you are still seeing a problem.