Global Council
The Global Council is comprised of 48 delegates, each representing one of three regions (ARC, EMEA, APRC). The delegates work on behalf of the global membership to reflect the needs of member institutions. Members can contact any Global Council delegate to share ideas, offer feedback, and ask questions. Global Council committees complete much of the group’s work. The working groups include:
- Global Council Executive Committee
- Global Council Bylaws Committee
- Global Council Nominating Committee
- Global Council Program Committee
![Matthijs van Otegem [photo]](/content/marketing/publish/en_us/membership/councils/_jcr_content/par/parsyscolumncontrol_/col0/tabs_51f1/1480337841/parsyscolumncontrol__0/col1/highlightbox_351c/highlightbox/textimage_70a7/image.img.jpg/1698820352902.jpg "Matthijs van Otegem")
A message from Matthijs van Otegem,
Global Council Chair
Welcome from your Global Council!
As a member organization dedicated to providing research, programs, and technology solutions to global libraries, OCLC is driven to address a variety of the challenges libraries face around the world.
Participating in Global Council gives us opportunities to share experiences and perspectives gained from OCLC’s global membership. The discussions we engage in as Global Council delegates serve to solidify and broaden our understanding of the goals and values we share, from open access and intellectual freedom, to supporting sustainability and lifelong learning.
Join us in this conversation to help amplify our shared library values. We encourage you to work in partnership with your Global Council delegates as we contribute to OCLC’s vision and undertake the shared challenge of building a sustainable future for libraries worldwide.
Past events
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15 June 2023
Redefining the library experience: Insights and inspiration
Join Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Executive Director, OCLC Research, and library leaders from OCLC’s Global Council as they share results from the 2023 global survey on “Redefining the library experience.”
- Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, North America [UTC -4]
This event has passed. View the archive.
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24 January 2023
Redefining the library experience: Putting ideas into action
Join Lesley Langa, Associate Research Scientist, OCLC Research, and library leaders from OCLC’s Global Council for a discussion on how libraries around the world are rethinking the library experience.
- Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, North America [UTC -5]
This event has passed. View the archive.
Americas Regional Council
OCLC members in the Americas—Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America—actively participate in the cooperative through the Americas Regional Council (ARC). Members are encouraged to attend meetings, sign up for information to learn about the latest innovations and initiatives, and to provide feedback to their ARC representatives. ARC members are eligible to participate in ARC elections and run for one of the 32 delegate positions that represent ARC on the OCLC Global Council. ARC hosts an annual conference that is open to all members and interested parties, which provides a forum to discuss issues important to libraries in the region.
- Americas Regional Council Executive Committee
- Americas Regional Council Nominating Committee
![Michael Levine-Clark [photo]](/content/marketing/publish/en_us/membership/councils/_jcr_content/par/parsyscolumncontrol_/col0/tabs_51f1/1480337840/parsyscolumncontrol__0/col1/highlightbox_e83c/highlightbox/textimage_70a7/image.img.jpg/1698820353129.jpg "Michael Levine-Clark")
A message from Michael Levine-Clark, Chair for the Americas Regional Council
Welcome from your Americas Regional Council!
We are proud to serve as your elected Americas Regional Council (ARC) delegates. As a regional council, we reflect a wide range of libraries, cultures and languages and it is this diversity of perspectives that allows us to effectively reflect the needs of OCLC member libraries and the communities we serve. By working together, we can solve shared challenges and build a stronger future for our libraries.
Recent news
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2022 Global Council election results announced
The 2022 elections for OCLC Global and Regional Council delegates are complete. Congratulations to the individuals who will begin three-year terms as delegates and officers starting 1 November 2022.
-
2021 Global Council election results announced
The 2021 elections for OCLC Regional Council delegates are complete. In addition to welcoming new delegates, new leadership for each of the Regional Councils will begin on 1 November 2021.
Past events
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25 October 2018 - 26 October 2018
2018 OCLC Americas Regional Council Conference
Connect with OCLC at the 2018 Americas Regional Council Conference in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- Location: Chicago, IL
This event has passed. View the archive.
EMEA Regional Council
The Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Regional Council currently elects 11 representatives who serve as delegates to the Global Council. Members in the EMEA region are encouraged to vote for their representatives and are invited to attend an annual conference open to all members and interested parties, which provides a forum to discuss issues important to libraries in the region.
- EMEARC Executive Committee
- EMEARC Nominating Committee
![Matthijs van Otegem [photo]](/content/marketing/publish/en_us/membership/councils/_jcr_content/par/parsyscolumncontrol_/col0/tabs_51f1/1480337839/parsyscolumncontrol_/col1/highlightbox_8ac3/highlightbox/textimage_984e/image.img.jpg/1698820353261.jpg "Matthijs van Otegem")
A message from Matthijs van Otegem, Chair for the Europe, Middle East and Africa Regional Council
Welcome from your EMEA Regional Council
We are your EMEA Regional Council, and we represent the libraries, museums, and archives of more than 70 countries in the region. As information professionals, we navigate an evolving library landscape in our local and regional communities. And as members of OCLC, we can benefit from the support of a global community on this journey. Regardless of our locations or the communities we serve, we share a commitment to information access, equity, and inclusion, and a desire to work together to create a better world.
Recent news
-
2022 Global Council election results announced
The 2022 elections for OCLC Global and Regional Council delegates are complete. Congratulations to the individuals who will begin three-year terms as delegates and officers starting 1 November 2022.
-
2021 Global Council election results announced
The 2021 elections for OCLC Regional Council delegates are complete. In addition to welcoming new delegates, new leadership for each of the Regional Councils will begin on 1 November 2021.
Past events
No past events were found.
Asia Pacific Regional Council
The Asia Pacific Regional Council (APRC) represents member libraries from the territory west of Hawaii, stretching from China, Korea and Japan in the north to Australia and New Zealand in the south and Pakistan to the west. APRC elects delegates to the Asia Pacific Executive Committee, five of whom also currently serve as delegates to Global Council. APRC hosts an annual conference that is open to all members and interested parties, which provides a forum to discuss issues important to libraries in the region.
- APRC Executive Committee
- APRC Nominating Committee
![Gaye Rowley [photo]](/content/marketing/publish/en_us/membership/councils/_jcr_content/par/parsyscolumncontrol_/col0/tabs_51f1/1480337838/parsyscolumncontrol__0/col1/highlightbox_83/highlightbox/textimage_356f/image.img.jpg/1698820353430.jpg "Gaye Rowley")
A message from Gaye Rowley, Chair for the Asia Pacific Regional Council
Welcome from your APRC Regional Council
We are your Asia Pacific Regional Council delegates, and we use our combined voice to reflect the concerns and desires of libraries throughout the Asia Pacific region. As we endeavor to preserve and provide access to our regional history and culture with the help of OCLC services, we can build a stronger future for our libraries through our partnership and the development of mutual understanding.
Recent news
-
2022 Global Council election results announced
The 2022 elections for OCLC Global and Regional Council delegates are complete. Congratulations to the individuals who will begin three-year terms as delegates and officers starting 1 November 2022.
-
2021 Global Council election results announced
The 2021 elections for OCLC Regional Council delegates are complete. In addition to welcoming new delegates, new leadership for each of the Regional Councils will begin on 1 November 2021.
Past events
Show details
28 November 2018 - 29 November 2018
OCLC Asia Pacific Regional Council Meeting 2018
Join us for this two day conference in Bangkok, Thailand!
- Location: Bangkok, Thailand
This event has passed. View the archive.
Interested in learning more or getting involved?
If you are interested in participating in Americas, Asia Pacific, or EMEA Regional Council activities, or in representing your region on the OCLC Global Council, please contact Member Relations.