Big Ten Academic Alliance libraries are now live with OCLC Resource Sharing for Groups
The BTAA and OCLC continue to work together to advance the new consortial borrowing solution that expedites delivery for library users
DUBLIN, Ohio, 10 June 2024—Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) libraries are now live using the new OCLC Resource Sharing for Groups, the state-of-the-art solution that reimagines resource sharing for library groups and consortia.
OCLC Resource Sharing for Groups is a modern consortial borrowing solution that expedites delivery of digital and print items to library users. Participating libraries have all the tools needed to easily lend and borrow resources from group members. If a request can't be filled within the group, it seamlessly scales out to regional partners and to OCLC's global resource sharing network of more than 10,000 libraries, without any staff intervention. The solution also builds on smart fulfillment functionality for fast, predictable delivery based on local policies, group profiles, available resources, library relationships, and user needs—with first-supplier fill rates at 90-95 percent.
"The BTAA has been a great development partner for OCLC's Resource Sharing for Groups," said Mary Sauer-Games, OCLC Vice President, Global Product Management. "We worked together to overcome the complexities of resource sharing among these large academic institutions, located in different regions and that work with a variety of groups and consortia, to establish a model that works for the broader library community. BTAA members have expressed great satisfaction with this new solution, and we are committed to further advancing Resource Sharing for Groups through continued collaboration."
OCLC and BTAA share common goals in developing resource sharing systems. They supported the evolution of BTAA's UBorrow service, which offers access to more than 90 million books from the collections of 15 university libraries and the Center for Research Libraries. And OCLC's vision for Resource Sharing for Groups is consistent with that of the BTAA libraries' for resource sharing that will underpin the BIG Collection by focusing on the unique needs of libraries that want to share in new ways to meet the changing needs of the user community.
"We are pleased with the successful migration to this new platform for UBorrow—not only for the parity and increased robustness it brings our communities of users today, but for the expanded options and possibilities we envision as we continue our pathway to uniting our separate collections into one, fully shared and fully networked," said Maurice York, BTAA Director of Library Initiatives. "We consider this new platform a fundamental part of our infrastructure renewal, a key component in preparing us to expand this fall to become a coast-to-coast Alliance."
Resource Sharing for Groups provides an exceptional experience for library users and simplified workflows for library staff.
"The transition to Resource Sharing for Groups was seamless for our patrons and has helped streamline processes behind the scenes for our staff," said Emily Campbell, Director of Document Delivery, University of Michigan Library. "Its flexibility has allowed us to customize it to meet the needs of our campus, as well as our staff."
The solution also offers group members more choice and flexibility since it's provider-neutral and integrates with any standards-based discovery services and library management systems. And WorldShare® Interlibrary Loan, Tipasa®, and ILLiad® form a familiar foundation, so libraries currently using these services don't need lengthy implementations or additional training.
More about OCLC Resource Sharing for Groups is on the website.
About the Big Ten Academic Alliance
The Big Ten Academic Alliance is the nation's preeminent model for effective collaboration among research universities. For more than half a century, these world-class institutions have advanced their academic missions, generated unique opportunities for students and faculty, and served the common good by sharing expertise, leveraging campus resources, and collaborating on innovative programs. Governed and funded by the provosts of the member universities, Big Ten Academic Alliance mandates are coordinated by a staff from its Champaign, Illinois headquarters. The fifteen world-class libraries of the Big Ten Academic Alliance members include the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, Indiana University, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the University of Chicago.
About OCLC
OCLC is a nonprofit global library organization that provides shared technology services, original research and community programs so that libraries can better fuel learning, research and innovation. Through OCLC, member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections and services. Libraries gain efficiencies through OCLC’s WorldShare, a complete set of library management applications and services built on an open, cloud-based platform. It is through collaboration and sharing of the world’s collected knowledge that libraries can help people find answers they need to solve problems. Together as OCLC, member libraries, staff and partners make breakthroughs possible.
OCLC, WorldCat, and WorldShare are trademarks and/or service marks of OCLC, Inc. Third-party product, service and business names are trademarks and/or service marks of their respective owners.
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