How is the Cataloging Data Shared?
The bibliographic record, as seen per Kaplan’s textbook Catalog It!, is in a universal format (MARC record), a computer record which is accepted by systems all over the world. It is easily shared via a worldwide database like OCLC (WorldCat), a statewide system (like South Dakota’s SDLN – The South Dakota Library Network), or even between local libraries sharing files or pooling resources to buy such records. Because records are so common, and because there are often several different records for each published item, librarians only catalog from scratch (create a new computerized record from nothing), when necessary. If it were not for shared MARC records for library OPACS, many libraries would cease to exist because cataloging costs would consume most of the budget.
