OCLC cataloging authorization levels for record actions and upgrades

Authorization levels and cataloging capabilities

The logon authorization established by your OCLC cataloging profile determines the level of cataloging activities you can do. In general, with Search and Limited authorizations, you can retrieve and edit or create and save, and then export bibliographic records for use in your library's local system. With Full and higher authorizations, you can also create and add or edit/upgrade and replace WorldCat bibliographic records in WorldCat.

The tables in this section define authorized actions for each OCLC cataloging authorization level, from basic to highly specialized levels.

Search authorization level

Connexion client authorized actions
Search and display records from any OCLC database, including WorldCat, LC names and subjects authority file, and LC names and subjects history file Export records Display holdings Report errors in records Create labels Print Edit records locally Save records to local save file Search online save file Create records for local use Use constant data Import records
Note: In some circumstances, your Search authorization may include additional local holdings capabilities (for example, in the case of using a Searchauthorization for Resource Sharing activities).

Limited authorization level

Connexion client authorized actions
Same actions as for Search and the following actions: Submit records for review Lock records Save records to online save file Delete records from online save file Validate records Control headings

Full authorization level

Connexion client authorized actions

Same actions as for Limited and the following actions:

Set and delete holdings on bibliographic records
Replace WorldCat bibliographic records in WorldCat*
Add new bibliographic records to WorldCat

*See section below for more about types of WorldCat record upgrades you can make.

Specialized authorization levels

Authorization level	Connexion client authorized actions
NACO (Name Authority Cooperative Program)	Same actions as for Full and the following actions: Replace name authority records in the LC authority file Add new name authority records to the LC authority file Used by NACO participants to enhance national and PCC bibliographic records
Agent	Same actions as for Full and the following actions: Set and delete holdings on bibliographic records on behalf of other libraries for whom the agent is providing cataloging Maintain local holdings records on behalf of other libraries
Regular Enhance	Same actions as for Full Used by Enhance participants to enhance non-national, non-PCC (Program for Cooperative Cataloging) bibliographic records in authorized formats, except records for serials
Enhance National	Same actions as for Full and NACO Used by Enhance participants to enhance national and PCC bibliographic records in authorized formats, except records for serials
Regular CONSER (Cooperative Online Serials program)	Same actions as for Full Used by CONSER participants to authenticate and maintain continuing resource records
CONSER National	Same actions as for Full and NACO Used by CONSER participants to authenticate and maintain continuing resource records

Differences between upgrading a WorldCat record and local editing

You must have a Full, NACO, or higher authorization to upgrade WorldCat records (i.e., make permanent changes) in WorldCat or the LC authority file. With lower authorizations, you can edit locally (i.e., make temporary changes) and export the records for use in your library's ILS (integrated local system). The following table gives more details:

To upgrade a WorldCat record ...	Descripción
Edit and replace a WorldCat bibliographic or authority record	A WorldCat record is the version of the record available to all who have cataloging access via Connexion. It does not include local data for any library. When you lock a record (or the client locks it when you replace it), no other user can access the WorldCat record until you unlock it or edit and Replace it. However, other users can retrieve the record for local editing.

To edit a record locally ...	Descripción
Edit a record with data for your library and export it to your library's ILS	A locally edited record is a copy of the WorldCat record that you can make temporary changes to without affecting the WorldCat record. Any time you edit a record without locking or replacing it, you are making local edits. Other users can retrieve the record and edit it locally or lock and edit the WorldCat record. You are using local editing when you do copy cataloging.

Summary: Authorization levels and editing WorldCat records versus making local edits

Authorization level	Connexion client authorized actions ...	... for these types of records
Search or higher	Edit record for local use (Cannot lock a record) Save to local save file Export	Applies to all records in WorldCat and the LC authority file.
Limited or higher	Lock, edit locally, and save record to local or online save file (cannot Replace a WorldCat record) Export	Applies to all records in WorldCat and the LC authority file.
Full, NACO, or higher	Lock, edit, and save record Replace WorldCat record Export Note: In the client, neither locking nor saving the record is required before you edit and replace it. The client will lock automatically before replacing.	Applies to name authority records in the LC authority file (must have a NACO authorization). Applies to the following records in WorldCat. Records your library contributed Minimal-level records you are upgrading Records you are enriching (adding call numbers, contents notes, etc. - see details below)

Authorization level

Connexion client authorized actions ...

... for these types of records

Search or higher

Edit record for local use (Cannot lock a record)
Save to local save file
Export

Applies to all records in WorldCat and the LC authority file.

Limited or higher

Lock, edit locally, and save record to local or online save file (cannot Replace a WorldCat record)
Export

Applies to all records in WorldCat and the LC authority file.

Full, NACO, or higher

Lock, edit, and save record
Replace WorldCat record
Export

Note: In the client, neither locking nor saving the record is required before you edit and replace it. The client will lock automatically before replacing.

Applies to name authority records in the LC authority file (must have a NACO authorization).

Applies to the following records in WorldCat.

Records your library contributed
Minimal-level records you are upgrading
Records you are enriching (adding call numbers, contents notes, etc. - see details below)

Types of upgrades for WorldCat records with Full, Enhance, and CONSER authorizations

About upgrading WorldCat records

Minimal-level upgrades and database enrichment upgrades are both record enhancement capabilities that are available to all OCLC catalogers with a Full or higher authorization.
Most OCLC catalogers with a Full or higher authorization can add data and edit certain fields of most WorldCat records of any Encoding Level and replace the WorldCat record (CONSER-authenticated serials, for example, is one exception).
CIP records - You can enhance CIP (cataloging-in-progress) records, identified by the presence of ELvl:8. You can add or edit field 300 and add other database enrichment upgrades, but with the understanding that your upgrades may be replaced later by a full-level record provided by the Library of Congress or another qualified cataloging institution.
Make all upgrades in one editing session. For example:
- Add both a call number and a contents note before replacing the WorldCat record. Editing and replacing a record may prevent you from editing the WorldCat record again.
- If you upgrade and replace a minimal-level record to I (full-level), under some circumstances, the system prevents you from replacing I-level records.
See OCLC Bibliographic Format and Standards > Quality Assurance for a complete list of types of upgrades that you can make to specific types of records.

Summary of WorldCat record upgrades

Authorization	Upgrade type	What you can and cannot do
Completo Enhance CONSER	Minimal-level upgrade Applies to less-than-full-level records—Encoding Levels K, M, 2, 3, 4 (except field 042=pcc), 5, and 7)	You can: Edit the entire record and upgrade it to full-level (Encoding Level I) or less-than-full-level (Encoding Level K) by replacing the record. Add a call number or subject heading(s). No puedes: For Encoding Level 4, add or modify editable fields of PCC (Program for Cooperative Cataloging) records (field 042 contains pcc) Add or modify editable fields of CONSER-authenticated continuing resource records (field 042 contains code isds/c, lc, lcac, lcd, msc, nlc, nsdp, or premarc)
Same as for minimal-level upgrades: Completo Enhance CONSER	Database enrichment Applies to any record, including Encoding Levels blank, 1, 8, I, and L, except an authenticated serial	You can: Edit only certain fields, as listed in OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards > Quality Assurance. Add or edit: Class numbers for classification schemes not already in the record Subject headings if the headings are not already in the record Field 300 in CIP (cataloging in progress) records Non-Latin script data in MARC 880 fields Field 5XX (X = any number) (can add only if field is not already present) Field 856 (can add only if field is not already present) Add or modify editable fields of full-level serial records that have 10 or fewer holdings No puedes: Modify CONSER-authenticated continuing resource records (field 042 contains a CONSER authentication code)
Enhance	Enhance regular and national	Add data or edit all non-serial records Regular: All encoding levels except blank, 1, and 4 in records with pcc in field 042 National: All encoding levels Add data or edit all print and non-print serial records not authenticated by CONSER Note: Your library must be authorized for the formats and may be authorized for more than one.
CONSER	CONSER regular and national	Add data or edit all print and non-print continuing resource records. For more on the CONSER program, see OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards (see URL above).