NN/LM Dragonfly:SERHOLD to OCLC Batch Update is Here!

[NNLM PNR]

SERHOLD to OCLC Batch Update is Here!

DOCLINE libraries will very soon be able to list their serial holdings in
OCLC WorldCat, automatically and free of charge, through the batch file
transfer service that has been developed by NLM and OCLC.  This is an
excellent way to assist your fellow librarians in non-health science
libraries which do not have access to DOCLINE.  If you decide to
participate, you will be helping your local library colleagues obtain
articles from health journals for their patrons-thereby contributing to
better availability of health information for the public.

It's easy to participate!  If you library has its own OCLC code, just go
to your DOCUSER record, select the "Codes" tab, and, in the Batch Update
Authorization field, select "NLM is authorized to send a copy of my
library's holdings to OCLC"-and then, this July, your SERHOLD holdings
data will be batched into a file and sent to OCLC.  Updates that you make
after that will then be sent to OCLC on a quarterly basis.  Make this
simple change to your DOCUSER record today, so that your library's data
are included in the first batch transfer, scheduled to take place shortly
after the 4th of July holiday.

Unfortunately, libraries that are part of a larger institution with one
OCLC code (such as MWF) with multiple holding library codes for each
"branch" (for example, MWFA and MWFB) can not participate in this service.
This is because the batch transfer would delete holdings for other units
that share that same OCLC code.  NLM has provided details about this at
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/doc_batch_update_serholdtooclc_multiple_oclcids.html

For more information about the SERHOLD to OCLC Batch Update, see the FAQ
at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/faqdocline.html#serholdbatchupdate

SPECIAL NOTE FOR OREGON AND WASHINGTON LIBRARIES:

You who are in Oregon and Washington medical libraries will remember that
before DOCLINE migrated to the Web and the Washington Library Network
(WLN) database was merged into the OCLC WorldCat database (independent
events that happened at about the same time, just before the turn of the
century), your SERHOLD holdings data were automatically transferred into
WLN (for Washington) and OCLC (for Oregon).  Oregon and Washington
libraries had a long-standing tradition of sharing their holdings
information with their colleagues in other types of libraries.

This new SERHOLD to OCLC Batch Update service will allow you to share your
library's holdings information with your communities once again.  And now,
all other DOCLINE libraries can join in this sharing.  However, your
participation in this SERHOLD to OCLC Batch Update will not be automatic,
even if you formerly shared your SERHOLD data with WLN or OCLC.  You must
update your DOCUSER record in order to participate-and now is the time to
do it, so that your holdings are transferred this coming July.

SPECIAL THANKS to the task force members who helped lobby OCLC to work
with NLM on developing this service (see "SERHOLD and the Public's Access
to Health Information: An Update" in Dragonfly, Spring 2001,
http://nnlm.gov/pnr/news/200104/serhold.html) and to the libraries that
served as beta test sites:
*Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center
*Intercollegiate College for Nursing Education
*Linfield College Portland campus
*Tuality Community Hospital
*Tuality Health Information Resource Center


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Dragonfly is the newsletter of the National Network of Libraries of
Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region. Produced by NN/LM PNR, under NLM
Contract N01-LM-1-3516.  Maryanne Blake, Editor, blakema at u.washington.edu.
Michael Boer, Publication Manager, boerm at u.washington.edu.  Dragonfly
is transmitted by e-mail via HLIB-NW and PNRNews.

This and all Dragonfly articles are best viewed on the World Wide Web at:
        http://nnlm.gov/pnr/news/

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