Assessment of GOBI OCLC Plus service usefulness for various types of materials
Decision summary
Campuses should decide which of their GOBI subaccounts represent a wise use of funds resources when applying the OCLC Plus cataloging services. Info found in our research indicates that GOBI is doing significant OCLC cataloging on 20-25% of titles received. Comparisons with CZ records show about half of CZ records have no Subject Headings but are otherwise fairly reasonable.
Analyzed data coming in for UCI’s API program, physical and electronic, to assess which titles had full records available up order, which needed GOBI labor, and how available CZ records for e-res compared.
Priority
Target decision date
[type // to add Date]
Date decided
[type // to add Date]
Recommendation
The OCLC Plus service contract is up for renewal on June 30 of every year. Costs are distributed proportionately to campuses in an annual lump sum (recharged for the first time in September 2021). Now that we have a full year’s record data available, it is recommended that campuses carefully review which kinds of materials they are receiving on various GOBI subaccounts, and apply the new UC’s Systemwide Cataloging Services (GOBI’s OCLC Plus) only on those subaccounts they feel are most beneficial. Campuses should be aware that usage/nonusage of this contract can have impacts on our negotiating position as it impacts volume of records received, and they should make sure these decisions include the relevant AULs, especially those involved with SCLG. It also impacts the setting of holdings in OCLC.
If there is interest/concern on your campus, we suggest a detailed analysis at each campus on the time/cost impacts of the Gold Plus program, especially for electronic materials, that can later be aggregated to get a better idea of how this would impact the systemwide contract. The Acq Operations Subgroup is not a decision making body regarding this contract, but is well suited for providing background or advice on the details of where records provided enhance workflows, cause wrinkles, or may be redundant. February or March of 2023, this team will review the issue.