# OCLC

> OCLC is a nonprofit, member-driven library cooperative that operates WorldCat and sells shared cloud software, cataloging, discovery, authentication, digital collection, analytics, and resource-sharing services to libraries. Its unusual advantage is a network effect built over decades: libraries contribute and improve collection data, OCLC turns that shared data into infrastructure, and every participant gets workflows and reach that would be difficult to reproduce alone.

- **Founded:** 1967
- **Headquarters:** Dublin, Ohio, United States
- **Founders:** Frederick G. Kilgour (Founder and first President/CEO)
- **Team size:** Approximately 1,400 employees
- **Products:** WorldCat, WorldShare Management Services, WorldShare Interlibrary Loan and Tipasa, WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat.org, Cataloging and Metadata services
- **Notable:** Founded as a cooperative of 54 Ohio college and university libraries in 1967., Built WorldCat from its first online cataloging record in 1971 into a global library data network supporting 6,500 languages and 135 scripts., Reached nearly 30,000 member institutions in more than 100 countries.

## Products & services

- **WorldCat** — A cooperatively maintained global database of library collections that supports cataloging, discovery, holdings visibility, analytics, and resource sharing.
- **WorldShare Management Services** — A cloud-based library services platform for acquisitions, circulation, electronic and physical resource management, discovery, and analytics, built on WorldCat.
- **WorldShare Interlibrary Loan and Tipasa** — Resource-sharing services that route and manage borrowing, lending, digital delivery, and interlibrary loan workflows across the OCLC network.
- **WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat.org** — Search and discovery interfaces that expose library collections to local users and the open web.
- **Cataloging and Metadata services** — Shared records, authority control, Record Manager, Connexion, Dewey services, and tools for creating and maintaining consistent library metadata.
- **EZproxy** — Access and authentication software that helps library users reach licensed electronic resources remotely.
- **CONTENTdm** — Hosted software for building, preserving, and publishing digital collections, with WorldCat and IIIF integrations.
- **CloudLibrary** — A public-library digital content platform for ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, comics, and streaming media; acquired by OCLC in 2024.
- **Choreo Insights** — Collection analytics software using WorldCat data to support evidence-based print and electronic collection decisions.
- **OCLC Research and WebJunction** — Original library research, community programs, and online professional learning for library staff.
- **Developer Network** — APIs, web services, documentation, and sample code for integrating library data and OCLC workflows into other applications.

## Achievements

- Founded as a cooperative of 54 Ohio college and university libraries in 1967.
- Built WorldCat from its first online cataloging record in 1971 into a global library data network supporting 6,500 languages and 135 scripts.
- Reached nearly 30,000 member institutions in more than 100 countries.
- Processed 25.2 billion WorldCat searches and added 25.3 million records in fiscal year 2025.
- Enabled more than 2 million fulfilled copy requests through the Express digital delivery program by July 2025.
- Added more than 400 million linked-data entities to WorldCat records in fiscal year 2025.
- Received Computerworld Best Places to Work in IT recognition 17 times by 2026.
- CloudLibrary received a Gold 2026 Modern Library Award after receiving Platinum in 2025.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — The University of Medellin selected WorldShare Management Services for cataloging, discovery, and resource-sharing efficiencies.
- **2026-06** — OCLC introduced America’s 250-Year Bookshelf using WorldCat data and reported that 48 libraries had joined WMS over the preceding 12 months.
- **2026-02** — OCLC launched an Italian Discovery Catalog to expand single-search access to participating collections.
- **2026-01** — OCLC and CONUL announced a partnership to showcase Irish cultural heritage; CloudLibrary received a Gold 2026 Modern Library Award.
- **2025-12** — AI-generated Dewey, Library of Congress classification, and subject-heading suggestions were added to Record Manager and Connexion, with catalogers retaining final control.
- **2025-07** — The Express digital delivery program passed two million fulfilled requests.
- **2025-06** — Smart-fulfillment enhancements began using activity signals to route resource-sharing requests toward likely lenders.
- **2025-04** — CloudLibrary content became integrated with WorldCat to improve digital-content visibility and discovery.

## Links

- Website: https://www.oclc.org/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oclc
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/oclc
- GitHub: https://github.com/oclc-developer-network
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/OCLCvideo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oclc_global
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/OCLC/20530435726

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Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13