In response to requests from the cataloging community, OCLC is introducing the Expert Community Experiment which enables cataloging members to make more changes to WorldCat records.

During the Experiment, members with full level cataloging authorizations have the ability to improve and upgrade more WorldCat master records than has been previously possible.

OCLC expects the Experiment to begin in mid-February 2009, and to last six months.

More information can be found by visiting the Expert Community Experiment page at http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/catalog/quality/expert/default.htm

Introductory web information sessions will be held throughout February. Dates and registration information can be found on the Expert Community Experiment page (see above). OCLC encourages interested members attend one of the webinars, however it is not a requirement for participation in the Experiment. (You can also view the recorded version of the webinar when available.)

Credits

OCLC announces the following regarding credits for the Expert Community Experiment: participants will receive credits for those activities for which they currently receive credits. During the Experiment, OCLC will not give credits for the new activity. Instead, OCLC plans to review new activity for possible credit adjustment later in the Experiment.

The “Experiment” is in response to complaints such as “I discovered a problem in the new record I created last week … but other institutions have used the record so I can’t fix the problem”

The experiment will allow these and many other fixes to WorldCat Master records.