Overview: This document outlines the ways in which Cornell’s bibliographic records are reflected in the OCLC WorldCat database starting in January 2020, when cataloging activities moved from our local system to OCLC Connexion.

Unit: Cataloging and Metadata Services

Contact: Laura Daniels

Date last updated: October 6, 2025

Date of next review: September, 2026


Changes to OCLC records are not automatically made to the corresponding records in FOLIO. Overlay to update the record in FOLIO.

There must be a one-to-one correspondence between the FOLIO instance hrid (001 in the corresponding MARC bib record) and an OCLC record #.

Cataloging is done in OCLC and pulled into FOLIO.

  • Record of record for holdings, items, local data = FOLIO

The CUL database of record is FOLIO. Local and copy-specific notes will only be found there. Updates to the bibliographic data, such as added contents notes, changes or additions to publication statements, or updated access points, should be made in OCLC and the same changes made to our local version of the record. It is almost always preferable to make the changes to the "WorldCat" record in OCLC, then overlay in FOLIO.

  • Records created in FOLIO are not sent to OCLC

Batch processing will send our holdings only back to OCLC, not the MARC records. If you have a record started in FOLIO, you can export it to OCLC, open it in the local save file, and work from there. (exporting records from FOLIO to OCLC)

  • Only one OCLC 035 per monograph bib record

This should not be a problem in FOLIO. Overlaying a record should update the 035s.

  • Some records in FOLIO get replaced

Batch improvement processes are not all operating yet in FOLIO.

  • FAST does not come in automatically

Batch processes are not operating yet in FOLIO. 

  • LCSH may come in automatically

Batch processes are not operating yet in FOLIO. 

  • LC call numbers come in automatically

Batch processes are not operating yet in FOLIO. 

  • 880s come in automatically

Batch processes are not operating yet in FOLIO.

  • Duplicate contents (505) and summary (520) fields

This should not be an issue in FOLIO. But do proofread your records.

  • Authority control in OCLC

If there is an authority record behind an access point in OCLC, that access point can be “controlled” in OCLC (either manually or, to a limited extent, automatically).  Then whenever the authority record changes the string in the 1XX, the controlled heading in OCLC automatically changes.  This does not automatically update the record in FOLIO. 

  • Authority control in FOLIO—different!

In FOLIO, changes to authorized access points happen through a different workflow that is based on a weekly report of everything that has changed in the entire NAF.  Our changes to fields under authority control in a FOLIO record do not change anything on the OCLC record.