Global library cooperative OCLC will be hosting a webinar on June 17, 2020 to introduce the new registration service and the updated API to the wider shared print community. Registration for the webinar can be done at: http://click.e.oclc.org/?qs=4469a1b8b83fe956592581c676bbf8d2542e712bc0dabb198c5812a0f326e103f65f3ee2c6629fd38c42facd3154d180e7350e1a0c5e8fae.
In 2018 OCLC and the Center for Research Libraries were awarded a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support a joint Shared Print Data Infrastructure project. Two major development projects that OCLC and CRL have undertaken are a service for registering shared print commitments to enhance the visibility of shared print in OCLC WorldCat, and an API that facilitates discovery of the critical collections. OCLC recently launched the first version of their new serial registration service which allows institutions or shared print programs to register holdings by submitting a CSV file through WorldShare Collection Manager. An enhanced version that allows institutions to register and update shared print commitments via LHR submission will be released later in the year. OCLC has also released an update to their Metadata API that includes shared print in search results.
WEST is optimistic about the new shared print registration service and API and the enhanced visibility of shared print collections they promise, but at this time recommends against registering WEST archives via the new registration service as part of the current disclosure process while we continue testing. The new registration service offers the possibility of shifting away from the shared print second symbol in favour of the shared print flag that is applied during registration. Two WEST working groups, the Disclosure & Validation Standards Working Group and the Resource Sharing Working Group, are currently investigating the potential impacts of changing the disclosure policy and are working toward a recommendation about the second symbol, which will impact how shared print collections are managed within OCLC. Once their recommendation has been vetted through and endorsed by the WEST Operations and Collections Council it will be distributed to the wider membership. WEST and Rosemont will be working with OCLC to schedule additional training on the registration service as needed, and are in communication with OCLC about applying the new shared print flag to existing shared print holdings.
More information on the new registration service can be found at https://help.oclc.org/Metadata_Services/Shared_Print.
