WorldCat Local and Encore

The report and recommendation of the Encore/WorldCat Local Working Group has been received and reviewed by the Executive Committee. The full background and recommendation of the working group will be posted this week on their SharePoint site. The recommendation follows:

Given the overall current performance and features of WorldCat Local as compared
with the current performance and features of Encore and due to the annual cost
savings accrued if we discontinue both Encore maintenance and Syndetics, then it
is the recommendation of the Working Group that we move forward with
implementation of WorldCat Local only and work with OCLC to improve the service
for UK users. Because no product is perfect and because there are new
developments in research discovery tools coming all the time (OLE project, and
WCL itself are evidence of this) it is also the recommendation of the
working group that the UK Libraries periodically survey our options for this
type of product.

The Executive Committee concurs with this decision and will be proceeding with ending our contract of Encore and moving to further implementation of WorldCat Local. I appreciate the Working Group’s (as well as all of you who tested and responded with input) efforts in carefully evaluating the products.