University of Delaware Library joins OCLC WorldShare community

Jan. 18, 2012 - PRLog -- The University of Delaware Library has selected OCLC WorldShare Management Services as its Web-based cooperative library management system for metadata management, acquisitions, circulation, discovery, license management and workflow improvements. The University of Delaware Library is the first member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to join the OCLC WorldShare Management Services community.

The University of Delaware Library will implement OCLC WorldShare Management Services, including the OCLC WorldShare License Manager, by the summer of 2013. The new “cloud-based” system will increase effectiveness and better utilize the Library’s vast resources, according to the University.

In 2008, the Library was one of the first institutions to implement WorldCat Local, OCLC’s Webscale discovery and delivery service. Since then, 29 ARL libraries have implemented WorldCat Local.

“OCLC has a long and distinguished history of supporting libraries in their role of bringing information to users,” said Susan Brynteson, Vice Provost and May Morris Director of Libraries, who has been involved with the OCLC cooperative for many years. “The University of Delaware Library is delighted to be at the forefront in this next-generation of library services.”

“OCLC’s Webscale solution represents transformative change,” said Gregg A. Silvis, Assistant Director for Library Computing Systems, University of Delaware. “Libraries have been working toward this type of solution for years. Taking routine library functions to the cloud will reduce duplication of loading records locally, and eliminates the need for maintaining local systems. In addition, as the first academic research library in the U.S. to implement OCLC WorldShare Management Services, the Library is glad to have the opportunity to develop these services to help meet the needs of other research libraries.”

Tom Apple, Provost of the University of Delaware, stated, “The implementation of WorldShare Management Services demonstrates the commitment of the Library to provide first-rate research services to the faculty and students of the University of Delaware.”

The University of Delaware Library will have an improved means for getting users to resources of all types and formats, according to Silvis. “WorldShare Management Services will provide the Library the opportunity to conduct careful analysis of our workflows across the library.”

“We at OCLC greatly appreciate the University of Delaware’s willingness to work with the OCLC cooperative in innovative ways that advance research, scholarship and education,” said Jay Jordan, OCLC President and CEO. “We look forward to working with the staff of this important research library in implementing a new cooperative model that will benefit students, faculty and librarians.”

Andrew Pace, OCLC Executive Director of Networked Library Services, explained that the cooperative works collaboratively with the membership to ensure that services have meaning to and impact on the library community. “The University of Delaware Library will be invaluable in helping OCLC shape and enhance WorldShare Management Services.”

Libraries using OCLC WorldShare Management Services lower the total cost of ownership for their library’s management and free staff time for higher-priority services. These services provide a Web-based environment that streamlines cataloging, acquisitions, license management and circulation. OCLC WorldShare Management Services enable libraries to share infrastructure costs and resources, as well as collaborate in ways that free them from the restrictions of local hardware and software.

In 2010, OCLC announced that it was making OCLC WorldShare Management Services available to a group of early adopters. OCLC WorldShare Management Services was released for general availability July 1, 2011. There are currently 33 libraries using OCLC WorldShare Management Services; and 171 libraries worldwide have committed to the new service.