[Web4lib] WorldCat - libraries owning an item

[Thomas Zimoski]

Elena O'Malley wrote in part:

"It [WorldCat] seems to have a direct referral, at least when I look
at it. When I pulled up an item onscreen, over on the far right
there's a link for "Search the catalog at your library," whether or
not the system indicates the library has the item."

Yikes, I thought, I sure didn't notice that.  But a lot escapes my
notice and at work today I saw what Elena describes.  I hadn't logged
in to WorldCat, I hadn't entered any zip code, and yet WorldCat
somehow knew what my home library was.  I deleted cookies and WorldCat
still knew.  I asked for locations of a book near a St. Paul, MN, zip
code and WorldCat still identified my home library out here in
California.  Maybe it's going by referring IP.

But I'm home now (using my dial-up account with a nationwide ISP in
case that matters) and I'm not seeing any "Search the catalog at your
library" option and I'm still annoyed.  Signing in to WorldCat doesn't
help.  I hope others who are annoyed will contact WorldCat as I have.
I think that they should at least make it clear that their holdings
information is incomplete.

Tom Zimoski
Fresno, CA