Public libraries perform unique and critical roles in their communities, including economic development, adult and early childhood literacy, support for government programs, and much more. In response to local funding pressures and changing community needs, they work with us to automate back-office activities, improve services and user experiences, engage more effectively with local communities, and increase the impact of public libraries as a whole.
Community engagement
OCLC has a new hub for community engagement ideas, lessons, and tips. Stop by today to get inspired and learn how to share your community success stories using #EngagedLibraries and connect with your peers.
The site includes community engagement solutions from library leaders, links to training and educational content, upcoming webinar opportunities, related research materials, and quick-hit ideas that you can take action on right now.
Build the knowledge, skills, and confidence of your library's staff
WebJunction, a program of OCLC Research, is the learning place for libraries. We provide free webinars, courses, and resources for all staff who want support to make their libraries relevant and vibrant voices in their communities. Our live and recorded webinars and our self-paced online courses cover topics such as community outreach, planning and assessment, space design, social media, and so much more.
Build lasting connections with diverse communities
With a focus on community engagement, Anythink Libraries uses their community engagement system to connect with and understand different types of customers. Automated workflows and simple communication features allow the Anythink team to customize programs that resonate with their unique communities.
Empower communities to learn from and share reliable information
As the internet has become the first stop for information, public libraries have faced new challenges in guiding the public to authoritative, reliable information. When library staff know how to assess and improve Wikipedia articles using references to independent library resources, the articles become more informative, the library’s profile raises, and community members engage with information in new ways.
Bring local history to life
The Slover Library, part of Norfolk Public Library, presents their local history collection in a way that draws more people into the library. The team uses a dynamic touch-screen photo repository that makes their historical photos come alive.
Deliver information efficiently and securely all over the world
The Zentralbibliothek Zürich, one of the largest Swiss libraries, supplies resources to libraries worldwide through interlibrary loan. Through new automated processes, fulfilling these international requests has become easier and quicker than ever.