OCLC and OCLC PICA form one global organisation

DUBLIN, Ohio, USA, 22 October 2007  – OCLC, the world's largest library service and research organisation, is uniting all offices under one name and visual brand identity to reflect a global enterprise with a unified strategy to serve libraries worldwide.

As a result, OCLC PICA, with offices in the Netherlands, Australia, France, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, will be known as OCLC.  By bringing together all offices under one name and identity, libraries worldwide can benefit from OCLC membership, research and an expanded portfolio around a comprehensive set of products and services.

"As OCLC PICA and OCLC become one global organisation, libraries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa can be part of the world's leading library service and research organisation, capable of achieving the critical mass necessary to create Web-scale services to meet the growing needs and expectations of today's library users," said Rein van Charldorp, Managing Director of what will be OCLC Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

OCLC has also created teams of employees from various geographic regions, and has aligned activities in three major geographic areas: The Americas, Asia-Pacific; and Europe, Middle East and Africa.  These organisational changes, along with the partnerships OCLC has made over the years, make possible this new strategy as one global enterprise.

The OCLC organisation is now uniquely positioned to provide libraries with services at the point of need.  OCLC has continued to grow and attract new partners that have increased its resources and capabilities worldwide.  Each organisation that has joined OCLC has contributed distinctive competencies, vision and innovation to the global organisation.

The new OCLC organisation is represented by a new logo and brand identity www.oclc.org/common/images/logos/oclc/OCLC_TM_Tag_V_LG.jpg>.  The new logo and brand identity will be integrated in OCLC communications throughout the end of the year.

"As we move to a single global brand identity, it is important to remember that the OCLC brand is more than a logo," said Jay Jordan, OCLC President and CEO.  "The new brand identity is the visual expression of the evolution of an organisation that is now entering its 41st year.  OCLC was founded to further access to the world's information and reduce library costs.  Those objectives remain fundamental to OCLC today."

The OCLC global strategy represents an evolution of the cooperative that began as an intrastate group of 54 colleges and universities in the state of Ohio, USA, sharing resources to save money and eliminate duplication of effort.

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