Using the WorldCat Collection Analysis Tool: Experiences From the University of Kansas Libraries

Abstract

In March of 2009, the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries began a year-long subscription to OCLC’s WorldCat Collection Analysis (WCA) tool, which was recommend by the Associate Dean of Technical Services and the Assistant Dean of Collections and Scholar Services. KU Libraries bases much of its collections decisions on data collected, including usage statistics, overlap analysis, and interlibrary loan statistics. The WCA was perceived as another method of collecting data to make collection development decisions. An implementation committee was appointed by the deans and led by the authors, the Head of Collection Development and a Social Sciences Librarian who had experience with the WCA at another institution. The implementation committee set institutional goals and priorities for the project, as well as prepared informational documents, and conducted training sessions for subject librarians. Librarians submitted reports for each of their collections. Although the project coordinators dealt with the many frustrations experienced by the subject librarians because of the flaws associated tool and would change the process for future WCA projects, overall, KU librarians were pleased to discover that the quality of the collections at KU is very high.