Skip to page content

UK and Ireland (English) Change

Overview

Technology meets opportunity: Cooperatively solving management services problems

OCLC's existing ILS customers and members have made it clear: libraries are faced with scarce resources, disparate systems and local maintenance issues. Demand for library services has never been higher and new, innovative responses are needed to meet these challenges. The goals of OCLC WorldShare Management Services are to save time and money while simplifying library workflows. In cataloguing and resource sharing workflows, libraries already benefit from the work of other libraries. Similarly, sharing more data elements, processes and new apps will broadly serve the global library community. Essentially, OCLC WorldShare Management Services provide an environment for new sharing opportunities.

Sharing data, applications and workflow improvements

With OCLC WorldShare Management Services, OCLC is moving routine yet critical library functions—including acquisitions, circulation and subscription and license management— to the Web. This will generate cost benefits for libraries and efficiencies not possible when utilizing disparate, specialized systems.

Working together, libraries can share data, applications and workflow improvements with peer institutions, end users and partners. And since OCLC WorldShare Management Services are built on an open, collaborative platform, libraries can add the features and functions needed to support their unique communities. Those without development resources can take advantage of applications developed by others in the library community.

The results for you and your users? You'll be able to focus more of your resources on the critical needs of your community and on local innovation. When basic services are less expensive, easier to use and more cohesive, you'll have more time to do the work that is most valuable to your users and community.

What makes OCLC WorldShare Management Services unique?

Standing apart from traditional library management services, OCLC WorldShare Management Services are truly revolutionary. They:

  • Leverage the size and scope of WorldCat, the largest library catalogue on earth, and the OCLC cooperative;
  • Allow for shareable data about back-office services;
  • Work entirely on the Web, eliminating many support issues;
  • Integrate with discovery and delivery functions; and
  • Provide data, tools and services that programmers and developers from any organization, no matter how big or small, can use to create applications and share ideas.

According to our members, the costs of "business as usual" are unacceptably high. Moving management services to Webscale is the next, logical step.

OCLC WorldShare Management Services screen

OCLC WorldShare Management Services greatly simplifies and streamlines acquisitions, circulation and cataloging. Its Web-based interface is easy-to-use and enables you to quickly move between workflows.

The requirements of management services at Webscale

We are designing and engineering Webscale systems that provide:

  • Security: Hardware and software safeguards that ensure secure operations.
  • Privacy: Private data is private data. This is true for local systems and applications and associated information that lives on the Web (see OCLC's Commitment to Secure Library Services).
  • Scalability: A solution that meets the needs of small to large members, independent libraries, groups and regional consortia.
  • Availability: High technical standards translate into system and service availability. Downtime for participating libraries will be absolutely minimized.

Learn more about the features of OCLC WorldShare Management Services

Listen as libraries share their experiences with WorldShare Management Services

Contact us with your questions about WorldShare Management Services, or
request a Web information session for your library.