OCLC 1998–2008: Weaving Libraries into the Web

Rebuilding Walls to Access and Service: The Impact of Electronic Resources on Resource Sharing

“…With the improvement of computers and the establishment of broadband network connections, the Ohio College Library Center (OCLC) was founded to develop a computer network for libraries for "the fundamental public purpose of furthering ease of access to and use of the ever expanding body of worldwide scientific, literary and educational knowledge and information" (Ohio College Library Center, 1967, p. 1). It was a cooperative organization where members agreed to create original cataloging records for those not found in the database and to contribute those original records to the database (Jordan, 2009). As the database and the organization grew, OCLC expanded its services to include a union catalog (Jordan, 2009).…”

“…It was a cooperative organization where members agreed to create original cataloging records for those not found in the database and to contribute those original records to the database (Jordan, 2009). As the database and the organization grew, OCLC expanded its services to include a union catalog (Jordan, 2009). The union catalog revolutionized the way that libraries cataloged their books, allowing them to do so quickly and efficiently by sharing the work with other libraries.…”

“…Then in the 1990s, the developments in the Internet and the emergence of the World Wide Web increased the ease of use in facilitating ILL transactions and resource sharing. Such developments allowed OCLC to begin fully realizing its vision to ease of access to information (Jordan, 2009). OCLC further developed its union catalog into the publicly accessible WorldCat and its ILL system evolved into WorldCat Resource Sharing, which is widely used by countless libraries internationally, providing libraries with further tools to facilitate the provision of services and access to their users.…”

Bringing the national interlending system into the local document supply process – a Swedish case study

“…A new version that might possibly remedy some of the shortcomings of previous versions is on its way (ISO, 2014). Many regional interlending systems offer integration via their own proprietary APIs or technologies such as structured email messages (Jordan, 2009), (Rodríguez-Gairín and SomozaFernández, 2014), (Gavel and Hedlund, 2008), (Gould, 2000). In Sweden, various local library automation systems integrate with the APIs of the national Libris interlending system (see below).…”

“…Examples include VDX (Farrelly and Reid, 2003) (Braun et al, 2006) and consortial borrowing solutions such as INN-Reach (Breeding, 2013c). Interlending systems such as OCLC (Jordan, 2009), DOCLINE (Collins, 2007) and rapidILL (Delaney and Richins, 2012) have a wide usage. Many countries have developed their own national interlending systems in order to meet local policies and needs.…”