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Release Date: June 15, 2017
WorldCat® Discovery Release Notes
Contents
Table of contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 2
WorldCat Discovery June release highlights .............................................................................................. 2
Include Request ID with problem reports ................................................................................................... 2
New features and enhancements .............................................................................................. 3
Save time on repetitive research tasks with saved searches .............................................................................. 3
Redesigned display of action buttons simplifies user experience ............................................................. 4
New relevance algorithms help users find items ........................................................................................ 5
Successfully manage saved items with intuitive list management ............................................................ 7
Immediately cite multiple My Items and My Personal Lists ....................................................................... 8
New content .................................................................................................................................. 9
Available in WorldCat Discovery, WorldCat Local and WorldCat.org........................................................ 9
Important Links .......................................................................................................................... 10
Office hours ............................................................................................................................................... 10
Product website ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Support website(s) .................................................................................................................................... 10
Modified June 8, 2017
Introduction
The following release notes are for the June 15, 2017 release of WorldCat Discovery.
WorldCat Discovery June release highlights
Users can now save time on repetitive research tasks with saved searches, discover materials with
newly optimized relevance algorithms, and intuitively manage and cite saved items and personal lists.
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 at the bottom of the screen on which the issue occurred. Including this
information allows us to directly trace what happened on the request we are troubleshooting.
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New features and enhancements
Save time on repetitive research tasks with saved searches
Experienced researchers often create queries with complex Boolean logic, multiple facets and specific
databases to track new publications from an array of disciplines. To reproduce complex or simple
research queries repeatedly, WorldCat Discovery staff and WorldShare Management Services
users can save searches to their user account.
Anyone with a WorldCat Discovery user account may save up to 100 searches and manage searches
from their account page.
After authenticating, WorldCat Discovery users will see the option to save the search under “Search
Tools”:
Clicking “Save this search” produces a confirmation of the saved search criteria with an action to view
saved searches:
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Modified June 8, 2017
Access saved searches from the navigation bar or “Library Links”:
View, re-run or delete saved searches:
Redesigned display of action buttons simplifies user experience
Action buttons on search results and detailed records now display horizontally (rather than the previous
vertical display). Also, we removed the buttons from the detailed record display on the left side of the
screen to reduce duplicate actions.
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Modified June 8, 2017
New relevance algorithms help users find items
Over the last several months, our search algorithms underwent rigorous internal testing and piloting
with member libraries. From this review, we determined a need to create two different relevance
options: Best Match and Recency. Best Match, formerly known as Relevance Only, retrieves known
items that are good matches on visible fields; and Recency retrieves more recent items, often
considered more relevant for some academic disciplines. The previous Library and Relevance
algorithm has been renamed Library and continues to surface local library holdings.
Please see our May 2017 Product Insights webinar and a recent Discovery Notes post for detailed
explanations of the testing behind these changes. These adjustments are part of our ongoing effort to
increase the relevance of search results that began with the release of a new search algorithm in
August 2016.
To clarify:
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“Relevance Only” has been renamed “Best Match.” Users with “Relevance Only” as their current
default are automatically transitioned to the “Best Match” option.
“Library” replaces “Library and Relevance.” “Recency” is an entirely new option.
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Modified June 8, 2017
Set your library’s default relevance algorithm in OCLC Service Configuration -> My WorldCat.org ->
Relevancy and Scoping->WorldCat Discovery default sort on search results, and select your default
sort. The WorldCat Local default sort is no longer supported in WorldCat Discovery.
Please note: WorldCat Discovery relevance options are available only in WorldCat Discovery,
and not WorldCat Local.
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Successfully manage saved items with intuitive list management
Users can manage their “My Items” more intuitively with clearly-labeled actions.
As always, items on the “My Items” page are temporarily stored until permanently added to a “My
Personal List.”
After logging in with WorldShare Management credentials, users will see the options to either create a
new list or to move items to an existing list.
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Modified June 8, 2017
Immediately cite multiple My Items and My Personal Lists
Users can cite multiple items or entire lists from their “My Items” page or from their “My Personal Lists”
when logged in. Users can still export lists and items for use in a citation management system.
Users may select multiple items to cite directly from WorldCat Discovery. Items will display the citation
dialogue in the users’ preferred citation style.
The “My Personal Lists” page allows users to delete entire lists or to cite entire lists.
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New content
This is a list of new databases added to WorldCat Discovery, WorldCat Local and WorldCat.org 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 JSTOR
JSTOR Sustainability Collection – JSTOR offers high-quality, interdisciplinary content to
support scholarship and teaching. It includes over one thousand leading academic journals
across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
From McGraw-Hill Education
F.A. Davis PT Collection – A comprehensive online PT resources that covers the entire
spectrum of physical therapy.
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Modified June 8, 2017
Important Links
Office hours
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http://www.oclc.org/support/services/discovery.en.html
Product website
More product information can be found here.
Support website(s)
Support information for this product and related products can be found at:
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WorldCat Discovery support resources
WorldCat Discovery training
Release notes
OCLC customer support
Browser compatibility chart
Notices
© 2017 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.
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