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Why do search results include records without matching fields?

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Applies to

  • WorldCat Discovery 

Answer

This behavior is often caused by the presence of Local Bibliographic Data (LBD) or a Local Holdings Record (LHR) on the records. When LBD or an LHR is present, metadata from the parent bibliographic record—such as the title, author, subject, and notes fields—is copied into a keyword-searchable field within the LBD or LHR.

This affects how WorldCat Discovery processes both title (ti:) and subject (su:) searches. Even if a search is scoped to a specific field, such as subject headings (MARC 6XX), Discovery may return results based on matches in the LBD or LHR keyword field.

What this means for searches:

  • A ti: search will search the title field of the parent record and the keyword field of the LBD or LHR.
  • A su: search will search the subject fields of the parent record and the keyword field of the LBD or LHR.

What can I do?

If this behavior is causing confusion or impacting search precision:

  • Consider reviewing how LBD or LHRs are used in your local cataloging workflows.
  • Use more specific search indexes or filters to narrow results.
  • Contact  OCLC Support if you need help adjusting your Discovery configuration.

 

Page ID

62384