OCLC and Google work together to create links directly from books discovered through Google Search to printed book records in the catalogs of hundreds of US libraries. This feature is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to connect people to their local libraries through Google Search.
The initial phase of this new program connects people using Google Search to the catalogs of hundreds of U.S. libraries whose books are cataloged in WorldCat, a global database of library collection information, and made available for discovery on the Web. The program is expected to expand to more libraries and connect to more library resources in the future.
“People use Google to search the web billions of times a day,” said Skip Prichard, president and CEO of OCLC. “OCLC and Google ensure that rich library collections are part of their daily search for knowledge and information. This new program offers a direct link from Google search results to books held in nearby libraries. This is an important step in bringing local library collections closer to people through simple research. »
These links to library catalogs can be found in several different views of Google search results for specific books, including under “Get” or “Borrow” book options in the knowledge panel, or in Google Books previews .
More than 500 million records representing 3 billion items held in libraries have been added to the WorldCat database since its inception since 1971. Libraries cooperatively contribute, enhance and share bibliographic data through WorldCat, connecting people to the cultural and scholarly resources of libraries around the world.
OCLC has worked with Google for more than 13 years to increase access to information in libraries on the Web. Currently, people using Google Search can access results from WorldCat.org, the website where anyone can search library community collections and find what they need at a nearby library. [Emphasis Ours] This new initiative links Google search results directly to records of printed books in libraries at academic, public and cultural heritage institutions near the user.
OCLC member libraries included in this program enjoy increased Google visibility through existing OCLC subscriptions. Inclusion requires eligible libraries to maintain current WorldCat holdings and accurate catalog address and link information in the WorldCat Registry.
To learn more about OCLC’s web visibility program, visit the website at oc.lc/visibility.