WorldShare Platform

The OCLC WorldShare Platform is a global, interconnected Web architecture that supports OCLC's Webscale services and applications, and provides flexible, open access to library data through APIs and other Web services. Libraries, developers and partners can use this data to innovate together to build and share apps that streamline and enhance their local library workflows. The OCLC WorldShare Platform facilitates collaboration and app-sharing across the library community, so that libraries can combine OCLC-built applications, library-built applications and partner-built applications. This enables the benefits of each single solution to be shared broadly throughout the library community. Unlike traditional APIs and Web Services, the OCLC WorldShare Platform allows community members to browse and install apps directly into subscribed OCLC services and allows developers to create and share apps that don't require OCLC services at all.

The platform makes OCLC Web services more widely available, and has several key goals, all of which build on the robust environment already offered by the Developer Network:

• To provide greater access to externalized services across OCLC’s products.  For each product, OCLC is engaged in an ongoing process of identifying high-impact services that will be exposed via the WorldShare Platform.  As we add new services, we'll provide documentation on a wider variety of read and write Web services that can be integrated into locally-developed applications.  Combined with the APIs already available via Developer Network, libraries now have a number of new opportunities to create innovative, solution-oriented apps for both staff and library users.  To encourage this innovation, developers at libraries with active subscriptions to one or more OCLC products can access any of the platform-based services in a test environment.  As the platform is service-neutral, partners within the industry can also enhance their offerings with OCLC’s services.
• To facilitate greater sharing of apps built using OCLC’s services, the platform includes the OCLC WorldShare App Gallery, through which library developers can share the fruits of their labor with other libraries, including those with limited technical resources.  The code you write once can get used and re-used, while you and your library receive the credit. It’s simple for your library or for libraries without developers to search for apps of interest and plug them into the library’s workflow or discovery space.

• To integrate library-developed apps more effectively into the library’s business processes and user services. The WorldShare Platform makes it easy to plug an app directly into current workspaces.

• To create a community of creative cooperation and innovation.  The library community has inspired ideas about how to provide improved user services or expedited workflows...and it’s OCLC's goal to help bring the right people, ideas, and skills together to act upon those ideas.

From a technology standpoint, the WorldShare Platform has three key components:

• a framework to increase the accessibility of OCLC's business logic, as exposed via Web services
• an architecture that enables libraries to integrate community-developed apps into OCLC user interfaces
• an infrastructure to support community development, collaboration, and app sharing

Developers at libraries with active subscriptions to one or more OCLC products can access any of the Web Services available through the WorldShare Platform in a test environment. To move an app into production, a library must secure a use license for the service—typically a subscription to the relevant product.