Category Archives: OCLC

Long Copyrights Kill Books

Posted on 30 July 2013 by Rick Mason

This. The Hole in our Collective Memory : How Copyright made Mid-Century Books Vanish These are frightening numbers, and they should force us to consider the negative effects of longer copyright terms. The publication of knowledge and creativity blossomed during … Continue reading →

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OCLC Questions

Posted on 7 August 2010 by Rick Mason

Jonathan Rochkind at Bibliographic Wilderness weighs in on the OCLC issue, and ultimately asks a lot of significant questions that don’t have easy answers. We all need to be asking significant questions, not only of OCLC, SkyRiver, and III, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Cataloging, Classification, Ethics, Groups, History, ILL, ILS, Libraries, OCLC, Online Databases, Online Services | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on OCLC Questions

OCLC’s Response to Lawsuit

Posted on 5 August 2010 by Rick Mason

Just received via OCLC Member Update e-mail: The following statement is from Larry Alford, Chair, OCLC Board of Trustees, and Jay Jordan, OCLC President and CEO: “On July 29, SkyRiver Technology Solutions and Innovative Interfaces, Inc. filed suit against OCLC, … Continue reading →

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One Possible OCLC Solution

Posted on 2 August 2010 by Rick Mason

I am going to be very presumptuous and put forth a possible solution to the OCLC situation. Ready? Divide OCLC in two. One entity, which we will call OCLC.org (just to keep from having to make up some name for … Continue reading →

Posted in Cataloging, Ethics, ILS, Libraries, Licensing, News, OCLC, Online Databases, Online Services, OPAC, Open Access, Open Source, Search, Software | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

InfoToday Article on Lawsuit

Posted on 2 August 2010 by Rick Mason

InfoToday has posted a very good overview of the SkyRiver/III/OCLC suit on their website, written by Edward M. Corrado, who also blogs at http://blog.ecorrado.us (I have quoted him on this blog several times, and follow his posts closely). My post … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogs, Cataloging, Ethics, ILS, Libraries, Library 2.0, Licensing, News, OCLC, Online Databases, Online Services, Software | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on InfoToday Article on Lawsuit

Guide to the SkyRiver vs. OCLC Lawsuit

Posted on 1 August 2010 by Rick Mason

Marshall Breeding at LibraryTechnology.org has gathered together resources and information regarding the lawsuit filed by SkyRiver against OCLC: Guide to the SkyRiver vs. OCLC Lawsuit

Posted in Cataloging, Groups, ILS, Libraries, Library 2.0, Licensing, News, OCLC, Online Services, OPAC | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Guide to the SkyRiver vs. OCLC Lawsuit

SkyRiver sues OCLC

Posted on 29 July 2010 by Rick Mason

SkyRiver, the new bibliographic records company created by Innovative Interfaces, Inc. (III) owner Jerry Kline, has filed suit against OCLC, alleging that they are “unlawfully monopolizing the markets for cataloging services, interlibrary lending, and bibliographic data.” SkyRiver has been joined … Continue reading →

Posted in Cataloging, Ethics, ILL, ILS, Libraries, News, OCLC, Online Databases, Online Services | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

OCLC and Data

Posted on 7 April 2010 by Rick Mason

The OCLC Record Use Policy Council today posted a draft of the WorldCat Rights and Responsibilities for the OCLC Cooperative. This is the second go-around for updating the 1987 Guidelines for the Use and Transfer of OCLC-derived Records, which is … Continue reading →

Posted in Cataloging, Copyright, History, Libraries, Library 2.0, Licensing, News, OCLC, Online Databases, OPAC | Tagged , | 2 Comments

OCLC Policies Directory Preview

Posted on 3 December 2009 by Rick Mason

OCLC is previewing their new Policies Directory site, which is set to go live on December 13th.  To try it out, point your browser to: https://policies-preview.oclc.org/ Authorization:  100028264 Password:  oclc Be sure to enter your OCLC Institution Symbol to view … Continue reading →

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BookChaser

Posted on 23 August 2009 by Rick Mason

I wrote a post about the BookChaser Editions service last year, but encountered a reference to another service they offer, and this led me to others: BookChaser Covers : compares cover images available from Amazon, Google Books, LibraryThing, and Open … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Libraries, Library 2.0, OCLC, Online Services, Search | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

OCLC Withdraws Records Policy

Posted on 29 June 2009 by Rick Mason

The Review Board on Principles of Shared Data Creation and Stewardship has released their final report on OCLC’s proposed policy for use of records (pdf), and after reviewing the report, OCLC has formally withdrawn the policy. This conclusion to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Cataloging, Copyright, Ethics, Fair Use, Groups, Libraries, Library 2.0, Licensing, News, OCLC | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on OCLC Withdraws Records Policy

ISBN-UPC-EAN Lookups

Posted on 17 June 2009 by Rick Mason

If you are involved with the selection or ordering process, then you are very likely to be familiar with searching for items by the International Standard Book Number, or ISBN.  The newer, 13-digit ISBN is actually based on the European … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Libraries, Library 2.0, OCLC, Online Services, Publishing, Search, XML | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

ICOLC weighs in on OCLC

Posted on 13 May 2009 by Rick Mason

The International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) has weighed in on OCLC’s proposed policy changes.  Of note: “The proposed policy appears to freeze OCLC’s role in the library community based on historical and current relationships. We share the concern, voiced … Continue reading →

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Google Ventures and Libology

Posted on 31 March 2009 by Rick Mason

Now that Google Ventures has been officially announced, I can go public with my own news: Libology is one of the first group of startup companies which will be receiving Google Ventures funding.  I have been in talks with someone … Continue reading →

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Confusing Assistance with Performance

Posted on 1 March 2009 by Rick Mason

Amazon.com has given in to the Publisher’s Guild on the issue of text-to-speech capabilities in the Kindle 2. In their press release, Amazon states up front that “Kindle 2’s experimental text-to-speech feature is legal: no copy is made, no derivative … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Books, Copyright, Fair Use, Google, Licensing, News, OCLC, Publishing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Confusing Assistance with Performance

LibraryThing on the ARL Report

Posted on 23 February 2009 by Rick Mason

Research Libraries Clobber OCLC Policy is a title, and a descriptive one at that, for LibraryThing’s report of the ARL’s report on the OCLC licensing policy kerfluffle (I keep coming back to this word). It is, however, an interesting read, … Continue reading →

Posted in Copyright, Libraries, Licensing, OCLC | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sending OCLC on its way

Posted on 22 February 2009 by Rick Mason

Sending OCLC on its way is a post by Peter Brantley on his Thoughts and Speculations blog.  It focuses on the library world’s reaction to OCLC’s licensing change, and cautions against our overreacting. He is not an apologist for OCLC, … Continue reading →

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OCLC Policy – Final Report to the ARL Board

Posted on 21 February 2009 by Rick Mason

The ARL’s Ad Hoc Task Force has submitted their final report (pdf) on the OCLC license policy change, and there is a great deal of constructive advice for OCLC to use.  The report’s Summary of Recommendations: OCLC needs to develop … Continue reading →

Posted in Copyright, Libraries, Licensing, OCLC, Online Databases | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

OCLC Announces Review Board Members

Posted on 7 February 2009 by Rick Mason

OCLC announced the members of the Review Board of Shared Data Creation and Stewardship yesterday, save for a member yet to be announced from the European National Library: Christopher Cole (FEDLINK): Associate Director for Technical Services, National Agricultural Library Poul … Continue reading →

Posted in Cataloging, Copyright, Groups, Libraries, Licensing, News, OCLC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Open Solutions for Libraries

Posted on 3 February 2009 by Rick Mason

Open Solutions for Libraries Gain Momentum is an article on Information Today which gives an excellent overview of the current state of library data and sharing.  Not only does it present the current struggle with OCLC’s licensing efforts with a … Continue reading →

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