In an increasingly digital information environment, competition for resources and attention means that libraries are trying to “do more with less” during a time of rapid change. To be successful, 21st century libraries need to engage with as many other information partners as possible. WorldShare will help promote the vast and often unique resources provided by libraries through a growing variety of partnerships.
Library management at Webscale
OCLC WorldShare Applications and Services offer a new approach to managing library workflows cooperatively, including integrated acquisitions, cataloging, circulation, patron administration, resource sharing and e-resource management. OCLC WorldShare services and applications eliminate traditional operational silos and deliver new efficiencies in library management, freeing libraries from the restrictions of local hardware and software to provide more time to focus on serving users and communities.
A platform for collective innovation
WorldCat provides the data that represents the “collective collection” of the world’s libraries. The OCLC WorldShare Platform extends the value of WorldCat and other library data by providing access in the form of Web services and tools for library developers, users and partners to create and share applications. The WorldShare Platform is also the technical infrastructure on which OCLC’s WorldShare Management Services Applications and Services are built.
Strategic partnerships extend library reach
One of the many roles of the OCLC cooperative is to transform our collective efforts into meaningful business relationships. Raising the visibility of libraries on the Web and connecting libraries to their users via popular Internet sites has been an ongoing initiative for many years. To date, OCLC has developed more than 250 strategic partnerships with some of the most recognized players in the mainstream information industry.