Library information provider OCLC, US, and Gale, part of Cengage Learning, have agreed to make all Gale databases and archives fully discoverable through WorldCat Local, and to explore broadening discoverability of Gale collections through other applications available through the OCLC WorldShare Platform.
OCLC and Gale have been offering access to some of Gale's most popular databases to mutual subscribers through the WorldCat Local discovery and delivery service. This new agreement will enable OCLC to index metadata and full text for all Gale databases and scholarly archives and make them discoverable through WorldCat Local for mutual subscribers.
In addition, Gale and OCLC will identify metadata that could be made discoverable to any user through OCLC WorldShare Platform applications, making it possible for libraries to better manage these resources - from selection and acquisition, to circulation and access.
Gale will work with OCLC to register all its collections, including the Gale Virtual Reference Library platform and the Gale In Context collections, within the OCLC WorldShare Platform. Gale and OCLC will index for discovery of all full text associated with e-books and periodicals in the collections. Gale will provide OCLC with updated Gale Knowledge Base profiles and library holdings information for all collections, making them fully discoverable and easily accessible to mutual subscribers.
Gale and OCLC will also identify metadata from these collections that can be made discoverable to users around the world through WorldCat.org, the OCLC website that offers access to the global catalogue for discovery of library materials.
The OCLC WorldShare Platform is a global, interconnected Web architecture that supports OCLC services and applications, and provides flexible, open access to library data through APIs and other Web services. Libraries, developers and partners can use this data to build and share applications that streamline and enhance their local library workflows. Adding metadata from Gale databases and archives to the WorldCat knowledge base enhances the ability of library staff to select, acquire and manage their Gale content, using both OCLC applications and other applications in their workflow.
