OCLC has launched new AI-powered capabilities within WorldShare Record Manager and Connexion to help catalogers assign classification numbers and subject headings more efficiently. The enhancements generate suggestions for Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) numbers, Library of Congress Classification (LCC) numbers, and Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) during record creation or editing. The system relies on extensive WorldCat data drawn from hundreds of millions of library records to produce recommendations.
Libraries can configure which AI-generated suggestions to display, and catalogers can accept or disregard them. User selections contribute to the refinement of future recommendations, supporting ongoing improvement. The organization emphasized that the tools are designed to augment human expertise rather than replace professional cataloging judgment.
Cataloging often requires extensive analysis, and the new features aim to reduce the time needed to complete detailed tasks while supporting consistency. During pilot testing, libraries reported time savings of up to 20 minutes per title, noting that the features help catch overlooked details and improve record completeness. The development process involved library community collaboration and iterative testing.
The updates reflect a broader strategy to apply AI responsibly across OCLC services. AI already supports processes such as duplicate record detection in WorldCat, reading recommendations on WorldCat.org, and faster resource-sharing connections.
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