More on WorldCat
August 7th, 2006Ebyblog (another anonymous blog) responds to my post about WorldCat:
“Perhaps it’s just me, but it seems odd to see lots of libraries talking about how to increase usage, serve patrons and make themselves more relevant but then also see them turn away people who actively want to use their library. Just seems backwards to me.”
It’s not just you. Libraries shouldn’t turn away anybody, but they do. At least, that has been my experience. Ebyblog makes it known that his/her library (Michigan State) allows any state resident to get a library card and does not charge anyone, which is cool. I don’t know if all universities are like that, however. I know SUNY (State University of New York) doesn’t do this. I can get a library card at Stony Brook only because I graduated from there.
So, OCLC needs to know about these policies and educate users on them. At the very least, they need to help us educate users on what can be checked out and what can. I’m telling all of the lawyers at my firms about this product, but with a huge caveat that they shouldn’t waste time going to the libraries to get the material. We (the library staff) will deal with that part.
Again, I love what OCLC is doing here. I just hope that it doesn’t backfire with complaints from people who want to utilize the service but can’t get the vast material offered.