MCLS Communique

WorldCat Mobile Pilot Recent Enhancements

March 12th, 2010 Kelly Bayee

The WorldCat Mobile pilot functionality has been enhanced with two new features: cover art for select items and links to a local library catalog.

Now in its second year with more than 117,267 searches sent from the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, the WorldCat Mobile pilot continues to provide library results for 1.4 billion items to mobile and smart phone users at no cost.

Cover art is now displayed on an item’s detailed record when artwork is available, and a link to the selected library’s catalog is also now enabled.  As one of the most-requested features from user feedback, this new functionality means a user can potentially check shelf status, place a hold, or reserve an item through their mobile phone at their local library.

The WorldCat Mobile pilot makes library results available for all Web-enabled mobile phones in either a standalone, downloadable app or a simple Web “lite” browser form.  If your phone accepts apps, it will prompt you for download or you may find the WorldCat app in the representative app stores.  Otherwise, the browser version will display when you type www.worldcat.org/m from your mobile phone.

All libraries—regardless of OCLC membership status—are represented in the WorldCat Mobile pilot, as long as they maintain a library profile in the WorldCat Registry.  The WorldCat Registry profile is a free service made available to help raise the visibility of all libraries on behalf of the OCLC cooperative and the library community as a whole.

The WorldCat Mobile pilot is powered by the WorldCat Search API and created and maintained by Boopsie, a leader in mobile search technology.

Entry Filed under: OCLC News