SHEFFIELD, UK, 27 January 2026—The Consortium of National and University Libraries (CONUL) has selected OCLC to deliver a unified view of the holdings of participating CONUL libraries, following a competitive procurement process. This new shared catalogue, to be built on the WorldShare platform with WorldCat as its foundation, will increase the visibility and discoverability of collections held in CONUL institutions, nationally and internationally.

Founded in 1971, CONUL represents 13 research libraries on the island of Ireland and more than 240,000 individual members, including researchers, students, and members of the public. CONUL is the only research library consortium that covers the island of Ireland, focusing on preserving and promoting Irish research and cultural heritage. CONUL strives to ensure collaboration and meaningful change to support research into the future.

In addition to increasing the visibility and discoverability of their collections, the participating institutions will also be able to get a better understanding of their collections, in terms of what is scarce or common, helping them to determine how they might reduce their print stock where needed.

"CONUL is excited to partner with OCLC on the creation of a new CONUL Shared Catalogue for Irish research libraries. We selected OCLC for its long-standing collaboration with research libraries, its global leadership in bibliographic data, and its ability to deliver a robust, forward-looking platform that meets the needs of CONUL libraries," said Monica Crump, University Librarian at the University of Galway, and Chair of the CONUL Board. "The CONUL Shared Catalogue is a transformative development that will significantly enhance access to our member libraries' collections, streamline workflows by reducing duplication of effort, and elevate the visibility and impact of Irish research and cultural collections on the global stage."

"The CONUL Shared Catalogue marks a significant milestone in Irish research collaboration and cultural preservation," said Eric van Lubeek, OCLC EMEA Managing Director. "As a global leader in bibliographic data management with decades of success partnering with research libraries worldwide, OCLC is honored to collaborate with these esteemed institutions. Together, we will deliver a unified platform that will serve as a powerful gateway to Irish academic and cultural resources on a global scale."

The Consortium of National and University Libraries (CONUL) members include: Dublin City University; Maynooth University; National Library of Ireland; Queen's University Belfast; RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Royal Irish Academy; Technological University Dublin; Trinity College Dublin; Ulster University; University College Cork; University College Dublin; University of Galway; University of Limerick.