- Is the NUCMC
catalog at the Library of Congress?
No. NUCMC staff create catalog records directly
in OCLC WorldCat.
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- Are all NUCMC
records accessible in one single online catalog?
No. The NUCMC cooperative
cataloging project began in 1959. From
1959 to 1993, the NUCMC catalog was produced as printed
volumes. In 1986, NUCMC staff began using the RLG
Union Catalog (now defunct) to
produce
its published catalog -- from 1986 - 1993, NUCMC records
are available both online through OCLC WorldCat and in
the printed volumes.
Beginning in 1993, records created by NUCMC
catalogers are only available in OCLC WorldCat.
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- Are all NUCMC
records available in OCLC WorldCat?
No. Only records created since 1986 are
included in OCLC WorldCat. All records created from
1959-1985 are
only available in printed volumes.
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- How can I search the NUCMC records
online? Is there a fee?
The Library of Congress provides a Web interface for searching
the NUCMC records online in OCLC WorldCat. This service
is provided
free-of-charge.
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- Does NUCMC provide any
searching services?
No. NUCMC can assist you with
problems you might be having searching OCLC WorldCat,
but we cannot perform searches for you. For assistance,
contact NUCMC.
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- Are there plans for
retrospective conversion of the pre-1986 NUCMC records?
No. There are no plans at this time.
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- How can I search the
pre-1986 NUCMC records? Is there a compiled index?
Each published volume of NUCMC contains an
index; and, cumulative indexes
were compiled approximately every five years. In addition,
ArchivesUSA® -- published by Chadwyck-Healey
contains the NUCMC entries.
Chadwyck-Healey has also published an Index
to Personal Names in the National Union Catalog
of Manuscript Collections,
1959-1984 (2 v., 1988), and an Index
to Subjects and Corporate
Names in the National Union Catalog of
Manuscript Collections, 1959-1984 (3 v.,
1994).
Check with
your local library
to locate these indexes.
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- Is it possible to search
OCLC WorldCat without coming through the NUCMC web site?
Maybe. If you
are a paying member of OCLC, you can search WorldCat without
coming through the NUCMC gateway. However, if you are not
a member,
your only "free" method
of searching for archival and manuscript materials in WorldCat
is via the NUCMC gateway.
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- Is it possible
to search the entire OCLC WorldCat catalog
using the
NUCMC gateway?
No. The Library of Congress only provides
searching access to the following materials in the WorldCat
database: archival and manuscript collections; mixed materials
(i.e.,
collections that contain two or more different
types of bibliographic material); and bibliographic materials
that have been described using archival descriptive rules.
The Library does not provide "free" access to search
books or other types of material in WorldCat.
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- What is the
best search method to use when searching OCLC WorldCat?
The method of searching depends on your needs and your
searching skills. It is often better to start
with the simple search form and as you become more familiar with
searching
to then move to the advanced search forms. Whichever
search you choose, please be sure to read the directions fully
and
carefully.
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- Whom can I contact for
assistance with searching?
If you have problems with these procedures, please
contact NUCMC for
assistance.
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- Does NUCMC have archival
and manuscript materials in its collection?
No. NUCMC is a cooperative cataloging program.
We have no manuscript or archival material located in our office.
If you have located material held by the Library of Congress,
you should contact the
division of the Library of Congress which holds
that material (see Library
of Congress Research Centers).
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- If I find a manuscript
collection by using one of your search gateway forms,
does that mean this manuscript
collection is held by the Library of Congress?
No. You will need to follow the instructions
on the searching pages or this FAQ to locate the
repositories
which hold the collections you are trying to locate. If you
are
unable to locate the repositories using these
instructions, please contact NUCMC.
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- From my search
results in OCLC WorldCat, how can I locate the materials
for use?
From the multiple display choose "more on this record" then
choose "tagged display" and
locate the 040 field toward the top of the record.
Make note of
the letter code (e.g., DLC) located in subfield a ($a).
Go to the OCLC
participating institutions page, type
in the letter code, and submit your search.
The
Library of Congress >> Cataloging
Questions
on Searching
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