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<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Hi
Cindy,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I
wanted to suggest a few more indeas to consider when making your decision about
alternatives to OCLC. It's important to keep in mind the other aspects of
participating in OCLC and the ways in which OCLC is not just another vendor that
can supply cataloging records. As a non-profit library cooperative, OCLC's
many products and services supply tools to individual libraries that enable us
to collaborate, share resources and have access to basic tools such as the Dewey
Decimal classification system. (Did you know that OCLC owns and maintains
Dewey?) The most significant OCLC resource is the WorldCat database which
supports an ever-growing web of library cooperation, giving libraries the means
to share materials, metadata and other services. Cataloging records
in OCLC are not static entities that never change. OCLC actually does
maintenance on these records and keeps them up-to-date with changing
standards and coding. This costs money.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>WorldCat works to the degree that libraries add their holdings to the
database and it also gives our patrons a means to find us via the Worldwide
Web. Libraries that opt to get their cataloging records from another
source may save money but they do need to aware that not adding their holdings
to WorldCat will undermine their library's ability to be connected to other
libraries for cooperative resource sharing into the future. Very
few of us have ever been able to afford to own the complete
collection we want to offer our patrons and this was one of the early reasons
that the OCLC cooperative was established. Its function as a global
discovery tool that helps people find library resources is even more
important today now that there are multiple for-profit organizations offering
access to information for a fee. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>The
value of a library cooperative is hard to quantify and comes with a cost.
But it's hard to imagine what library options would look like today if we did
not have a cooperative database that we can rely on being there for the many
services we individually choose to offer our patrons. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Pat</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=988411618-04032010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<P><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#808080 size=2>Pat French, M.A.,
MLS</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#808080
size=2>Manager, Collections & Technical Services</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#808080 size=2>Multnomah County
Library</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#808080
size=2>205 NE Russell Street</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial
color=#808080 size=2>Portland, OR 97212-3796</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#808080 size=2>voice
503-988-5493</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#808080
size=2>fax 503-988-5561</FONT></SPAN> </P>
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<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us
[mailto:libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Cindy
M. Hutchison<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 03, 2010 9:07 AM<BR><B>To:</B>
Libs-Or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Libs-Or] Alternatives to
OCLC<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=457080617-03032010><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks to all who
have responded to my question. I have a few options to
explore...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Cynthia Hutchison,
Cataloger</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Douglas County Library
System</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Roseburg OR</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>541.440.6007</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>cmhutchi@co.douglas.or.us</FONT></DIV>
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