Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 2

New Features and Enhancements ..................................................................................................... 3

User experience enhancements.......................................................................................................... 3

Relevance Only now focuses on known and recent items ................................................................. 4

OpenURL custom text now supported ................................................................................................ 6

Access MARC record with authentication at the point of need .......................................................... 7

Bug Fixes.................................................................................................................................................. 8

Search landing page autofocuses on search box ............................................................................... 8

New Content ............................................................................................................................................ 9

Available in WorldCat Discovery, WorldCat Local and WorldCat.org ................................................ 9

Available in WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local ........................................................................ 9

Important links ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Office hours........................................................................................................................................ 13

Product Web site ............................................................................................................................... 13

Support Web site(s) ........................................................................................................................... 13

WorldCat® Discovery Services Release Notes

Release Date: August 29, 2016

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Introduction

The following release notes are for the August 29, 2016 install of WorldCat Discovery Services.

WorldCat Discovery Services Release Highlights

Users can better comprehend a result list because the most important data is displayed first.

Users can review summaries and abstracts to quickly determine relevance.

Users can sort results by Relevance Only, which surfaces known items and more recent results

first.

Libraries help users find resources by customizing a new ILS and OpenURL link.

Library staff can access additional information by viewing the full MARC record for any result.

Include Request ID with problem reports

When reporting an issue with WorldCat Discovery, it is extremely helpful to include the Request ID.

The Request ID is found on the bottom of the screen on which the issue occurred. Including this information allows us to directly trace what happened on the particular request we are troubleshooting.

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New Features and Enhancements

User experience enhancements User experience is vital to successful end user journeys, and your feedback and commitment to our

users surfaced clear opportunities to enhance their experience.

1. Spotlighting the item’s summary and/or abstract to help users determine, “Why is this relevant?”

2. Emphasizing the important question, “Where can I pick up this item?” that library users face.

3. Presenting an action word with the item’s Editions and Formats and moving the link.

4. Accompanying the Save icon with its description to clarify the icon's function.

5. Highlighting the direct relationship between the piece of the item, and the item’s larger source.

6. Broadening the button label to account for all online media types.

7. (Not Pictured) Removing the database name from each item, and relocating it to the full item

description for advanced users.

8. (Not Pictured) Removing the flag because users could not reliably understand it.

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Relevance Only now focuses on known and recent items The ‘Sort By’ option ‘Relevance Only’ will now have a new search relevance algorithm. As we outlined

during the Virtual WorldCat Discovery Community Meeting in July, search engine innovation is an area

of focus for WorldCat Discovery. This new relevance algorithm improves relevance for your users by

enabling successful known item and academically recent searches. Please note, the new algorithm is in

WorldCat Discovery but is not in WorldCat Local.

As always, the default ‘Sort By’ algorithm can be configured in Service Config here:

Relevance Only now balances the following four weights in order of priority:

Date

The new Relevance Only algorithm places a greater emphasis on surfacing newer materials.

Previously, the algorithm underweighted date, which inappropriately surfaced outdated resources.

Title

The title is the clearest, most visible indicator that an item matches a query. As a result, we have placed

more emphasis on the title weight.

There are three components to the title weight. The weightings account for the number of words in the

query relative to the title, the number of words in the title relative to the query, and the exact order that

the words appear from the query in the title. When combined, the three weights provide a tight match

from the query entered to the titles surfaced in the results.

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Author

When an end user queries a name, they expect to find the name high in the search results. To this end,

the same weighting method is used for author as in the title weighting.

Worldwide Holdings

Worldwide holdings are not a factor most users expect to consider, but the holdings help us lead users

to foundational literature. Worldwide holdings indicate relevance because libraries strive to ensure their

collections are relevant to their users. Therefore, the items that have more holdings are more likely

relevant.

Relevance Only now leverages the Worldwide Holdings weight to a lesser degree. This dampened

weight helps to ensure a balance between foundational items with numerous holdings and more recent,

relevant items with fewer holdings.

Examples

To illustrate the new algorithm, please see the following examples:

Please note, the search examples are dependent on selected databases and scoping levels, so the same search

may not yield the same results at your institution.

Known Items

A user queried five takes on climate and cultural change with the old Relevance Only to find the known

item Five Takes on Climate and Cultural Change in Tuvalu by Anne Chambers and Keith S. Chambers.

Previously, the first result was an irrelevant book that happened to use the words climate, cultural, and

change many times. Now, the new Relevance Only surfaces the known article title first.

A user queried on this day history with the old Relevance Only to find the popular state history books.

Previously, the first result was a book from 1776. Now, the new Relevance Only surfaces On this day in

Detroit history by Bill Loomis first.

Recent Research

A search with the old Relevance Only for the genetics of alcoholism yielded a 1992 print book titled The

Genetics of Alcoholism by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U.S.). Since

genetics is a prolific field, the new Relevance Only helps to surface a 2013 print book of the same title

and author as the 1992 book.

Feedback

We would love to hear your feedback on the new algorithm. Your feedback will directly inform our

next steps. Please post on the Community Center, which you can log in to using your WorldCat Discovery Staff account or WorldShare credentials.

Stay tuned to the WorldCat Discovery Community Center for more details related to our search

approach and to the Relevance Only algorithm!

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OpenURL custom text now supported To support ILS and OpenURL branding, the OpenURL custom text is now configurable in Service

Config. The new link replaces the button, and the link reflects the custom text that was previously only

displayed while hovering over the button.

Here is an example before:

And after:

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Access MARC record with authentication at the point of need The MARC record link is now visible to all users with both WorldCat Discovery and Cataloging

subscriptions. However, the MARC record is only accessible to staff.

The MARC Record link is now labeled as the “Staff View” within the item Description. After pressing the

MARC link embedded within the item description, users may authenticate with their staff login and

password to view the MARC record.

Here is an example of the MARC Record link embedded within the Description:

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Bug Fixes

Search landing page autofocuses on search box The search box used to be the cursor’s primary focus of our landing page, and it now is again.

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New Content

Below is a list of new databases added to the central index since our last update.

You can enable these databases as search options in the Licensed Content and Databases module of the OCLC Service Configuration site. Please remember that your library must have a valid subscription to these databases in order to enable them.

The complete list of databases is available at http://www.oclc.org/content/dam/support/discovery/contentlisttargetID.xlsx

Available in WorldCat Discovery, WorldCat Local and WorldCat.org

From Directory of Open Access Journals

Directory of Open Access Journals – The Directory of Open Access Journals is a service

that indexes high quality, peer reviewed Open Access research journals, periodicals and their articles’ metadata.

From Greenleaf Publishing

Greenleaf Online Library (GOL) – Collection of sustainability and social responsibility.

From Oxford University Press

Oxford University Press Law Collection - Collection of online legal resources.

From Wiley

Cochrane Library - High-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making.

Available in WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local

From LexisNexis

LexisNexis Academic – Provides an extensive collection of news and company information.

This collection features recent and archival newspaper coverage from national and international publications, regional, local, and specialty newspapers, broadcast transcripts from major radio and television network news programs, popular blogs and other social media postings, and web-only sources of news and financial information.

From ProQuest

Accounting, Tax & Banking Collection - This database contains essential publications for

information about the financial services industry, including accounting, tax, banking, and industry trends.

Arizona Republic – Local and regional news coverage – newspaper.

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Arts & Humanities Full Text – Art, Architecture, Design, History, Philosophy, Music, Literature,

Theatre and Cultural Studies – journal articles.

Asian & European Business Collection – The database provides information pertinent to the

study of business and finance topics across Asia and Europe, including academic journals, newspapers, newswires, and magazines.

Australia & New Zealand Database – This database includes ongoing full-text academic journals published in Australia and New Zealand. The subjects cover major areas of study, including business, science, technology, engineering, social sciences, education, and humanities.

Australia & New Zealand Newsstream – Local and regional news coverage – newspapers.

Barron’s – Financial news coverage – magazine.

Business Market Research Collection – this database contains company, industry, economic and geopolitical market research from three sources, including Hoover’s Company Profiles, OxResearch from Oxford Analytica, and Snapshots.

Continental Europe Database – This database includes ongoing full-text academic journals published in certain European countries. The subjects cover major areas of study, including business, science, technology, engineering, social sciences, education, and humanities.

Criminal Justice Database – Criminology and criminal justice – journal articles.

Des Moines Register – Des Moines, Iowa, newspaper.

Detroit Free Press – Detroit, Michigan, newspaper.

East & South Asia Database – Ongoing full-text academic Journals locally published in various East Asian and South Asian countries. The subjects cover major areas of study, including business, science, technology, engineering, social sciences, education, and humanities.

East Europe, Central Europe database – This database includes ongoing full-text academic

journals published in East and Central Europe. The subjects cover major areas of study, including business, science, technology, engineering, social sciences, education, and humanities.

Financial Times – Global trade and finance – news.

Health & Medical Collection – Clinical and biomedical, consumer health, health administration, etc. – journal articles.

India Database – This database is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary resource of full-text, scholarly journals published in India, supporting many subjects, including business, medicine, science, technology, social sciences and humanities.

Indianapolis Star – Local and regional news coverage – newspaper.

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International Newsstream – International Newsstream provides the most recent news content

outside of the US and Canada with archives which stretch back decades featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.

Latin American & Iberian Database – Ongoing full-text academic journals published in Latin American countries, Spain and Portugal. The subjects cover major areas of study, including business, science, technology, engineering, social sciences, education, and humanities.

Latin American Newsstream – Latin American Newsstream enables users to search the most recent local, national, and regional news content with archives which span decades. It features newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.

Library Science Journals – Library science, online retrieval, archives, information technology – journal articles.

Linguistics Database – Full-text database with scholarly journal articles and other sources covering linguistics.

Louisville Courier – Local and regional news coverage – newspaper.

Medical Database – Biomedical sciences – journal articles

Middle East & Africa Database – Ongoing full-text academic journals published in Middle Eastern and African countries. The subjects cover major areas of study, including business, science, technology, engineering, social sciences, education, and humanities.

Middle East & Africa Newsstream – Middle East and Africa Newsstream offers full text access

to newspapers, news wires, websites, and blogs from leading publishers throughout the region. The database includes backfiles as far back as 1988.

Nursing & Allied Health Database – Nursing and allied health – journal articles, books,

videos, dissertations, etc.

Political Science Database – International relations and political science – journal articles.

ProQuest Central (new) – This is the largest single periodical resource available, bringing

together complete databases across all major subject areas, including Business, Health and Medical, Social Sciences, Education, Science and Technology, and Humanities.

Psychology Database – Psychology theory and practice – journal articles.

Public Health – Health, Medicine – journal articles, magazines, news, reports and dissertations.

Sociology Database – Sociology and social work – journal articles.

The London Times – Local and regional news coverage – newspaper.

The Tennessean – Local and regional news coverage – newspaper.

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Turkey Database – This database includes ongoing full-text academic journals that are locally

published in Turkey. The subjects cover major areas of study, including business, science, technology, engineering, social sciences, education, and humanities.

UK and Ireland Database – Ongoing full-text academic journals published in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The subjects cover major areas of study, including business, science, technology, engineering, social sciences, education, and humanities.

US Hispanic Newsstream – US Hispanic Newsstream offers access to the largest collection of leading Hispanic newspapers, news wires, websites and blogs in full text from US publishers in both Spanish and English.

US Major Dailies – US Major Dailies provides access to five of the country’s most respected national and regional newspapers offering researchers complete and timely coverage of local, national, and world events.

US Midwest Newsstream – US Midwest Newsstream enables users to search the most recent

regional news content, as well as archives which stretch back to the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.

US Newsstream – US Newsstream enables users to search the most recent premium U.S.

news content, as well as archives which stretch back into the 1980s featuring top newspapers, newswires, blogs and news sites in active full-text format.

US North Central Newsstream – US North Central Newsstream enables users to search the most recent regional news content, as well as archives which stretch back to the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.

US Northeast Newsstream – US Northeast Newsstream enables users to search the most recent regional news content as well as archives which stretch back to the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.

US South Central Newsstream – US South Central Newsstream enables users to search the most recent regional news content, as well as archives which stretch back to the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.

US Southeast Newsstream – US Southeast Newsstream enables users to search the most

recent regional news content, as well as archives which stretch back to the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.

US West Newsstream – US West Newsstream enables users to search the most recent

regional news content, as well as archives which stretch back to the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.

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Important links

Office hours http://www.oclc.org/support/services/discovery.en.html

Product Web site More product information can be found here WorldCat Discovery Services

Support Web site(s) Support information for this product and related products can be found at:

WorldCat Discovery support resources

WorldCat Discovery Services training

Release Notes

OCLC Customer Support

Browser compatibility chart

Notices

© 2016 OCLC, Inc. All rights reserved. The following OCLC product, service and business names are trademarks

or service marks of OCLC, Inc.: OCLC, WorldCat Discovery and “Because what is known must be shared.” In addition, the WorldCat and WorldShare symbols are service marks of OCLC. Third-party product service names are trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. OCLC grants permission to photocopy this

publication as needed.