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Worldwide (English) Change

About the Global Sharing Program

OCLC created its own GAC, the Global Sharing Program, to foster international resource sharing initiatives. With more than 6,900 libraries in 96 countries and territories around the world using the vast resources of WorldCat, international resource sharing represents an area of great opportunity. The Global Sharing Program makes this process easier while formalizing rules for borrowing beyond state and national boundaries.

Membership requirements

The primary requirements for joining the Global Sharing GAC are:

  • Payment must be by Fee Management
  • Airmail or courier must be used for returnable material
  • Fax or Ariel must be used for non-returnable material
  • The library must lend to all participants within the global group access capability group
  • Libraries will need to update their ILL Policies within the ILL Policies Directory to provide their policies for lending internationally and to include their Ariel or Odyssey IP address or Fax number in the communications field.

How to sign up

Any library wishing to participate in this GAC should complete the online application and agreement form.

OCLC realizes that many libraries outside North America do not have all their holdings represented in WorldCat. By identifying libraries throughout the OCLC membership that are willing and able to conduct trans-border resource sharing, however.