fyi--ralph p.

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tam Dalrymple +1-614-761-5054
tam_dalrymple@oclc.org
Nita Dean +1-614-761-5002
nita_dean@oclc.org

INTERNET LINKS NOW AVAILABLE IN FIRSTSEARCH WORLDCAT RECORDS

DUBLIN, Ohio, April 28, 1997--The OCLC FirstSearch service now includes
Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) for Internet resources on some records in
WorldCat (the OCLC Online Union Catalog).  This additional information
allows library users to access Internet information sources referenced in
WorldCat through Web browsers or other Internet software.

FirstSearch users will find the URLs in the field labeled "INTERNET."  Users
of the FirstSearch Web interface can use the hotlinks in this field to
access the resources directly from the record.

"Including URLs and hotlinks in WorldCat not only leverages the work being
done by member libraries who are adding this data, but extends OCLC's use of
the WWW in its services," said Tam Dalrymple, manager, Product Planning and
Communication, OCLC.  "We expect the number of databases that have URLs,
including hotlinks via the Web, to grow quickly."

Three other databases include URLs in records on FirstSearch:  NetFirst,
OCLC's index of Internet resources, includes URLs and WWW hotlinks in all
records; while FactSearch, a database of facts and statistics on topics of
current interest, and Consumers Index, a database of information on consumer
and health-related topics, contain URLs and WWW hotlinks in some records.

In February, OCLC added the 856 MARC record field, which includes URLs, to
the FirstSearch WorldCat database record display.  OCLC began adding
hotlinks to WorldCat on FirstSearch via the Web in late March.

OCLC FirstSearch, one of the library community's fastest growing information
systems, is designed for people who use libraries and requires no training
or online search experience.  FirstSearch--which provides access to more
than 60 databases, full text and a link to OCLC's interlibrary loan--can be
used via the World Wide Web or a text-based interface.

OCLC Online Computer Library Center is a nonprofit, membership computer
library service and research organization whose computer network and
services link more than 24,000 libraries in 63 countries and territories
[www.oclc.org].               (GP)
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