Innovation

New ideas, new thoughts

The OCLC cooperative is the world’s leading center devoted exclusively to the challenges facing libraries, archives and museums in a rapidly changing, digital global community. From its revolutionary online cataloging and interlibrary loan systems to its groundbreaking efforts in online journal publishing and Web-scale library management services, the cooperative has investigated trends in technology and library practice to identify technical capabilities that will advance the value of library services and improve the productivity of librarians and library users.

To keep the cooperative vital and innovative, OCLC invests in research and advocacy and engages the community in a wide variety of programs and projects. OCLC Research works with the community to collaboratively define problems and opportunities, prototype and test solutions, and share findings through publications, presentations and professional interactions. OCLC advocacy programs are part of a long-term initiative to champion libraries and amplify their voices to the communities and world they serve.

Each year, library leaders and OCLC staff members meet and engage hundreds of passionate information professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, political leaders, trustees, students and library users—all of whom are working to advance research, scholarship, education, community development, information access and global cooperation. The ideas exchanged are often catalysts for new services and program ideas at OCLC and at organizations and groups outside the library community.

This collaborative approach to research, advocacy and learning spurs openness and innovation and has been a practice at OCLC since the earliest days of the cooperative.