Technology, tools, and capacity to create impactful end-user experiences
Users expect immediate access to information, personalized to their specific needs, and delivered exactly in the way they prefer. Inspired by extensive user research and realized through our wide range of products and services, “Library on-demand” represents a vision for OCLC and for libraries to adapt and thrive.
Ready to optimize delivery?
Product development focus areas
Intuitive discovery
Effortless access to valuable resources when and where people need them
Intuitive discovery provides easy-to-use, predictable ways to conduct and refine searches. It also embeds library resources and applications within the services and tools that information seekers use every day.
What’s new:
Support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Library staff can now locally re-map subject headings to display locally preferred subjects and facilitate a more inclusive experience for library users. This DEI initiative aims to rapidly reduce harm in item description. Library staff collaborate through a shared template that enables them to benefit from contributions of other WorldCat® Discovery libraries.
What’s next:
Library staff will be able to build on locally preferred subjects to define local search expansions that ensure retrieval of the most relevant search results. And expanded personalization will include options for saving and reusing searches to increase efficiency and save time for searchers.
Smart fulfillment
Optimized delivery to meet library and user preferences
Smart fulfillment starts with libraries having the flexibility to configure what “smart” means based on local policies, resources, and user needs. This foundation means that delivery of library materials meets user expectations with options that match their delivery preferences.
What’s new:
OCLC Resource Sharing for Groups provides a seamless experience for library users and simplified workflows for digital and print items. And our Express digital delivery program enables fast article and other digital resource sharing among libraries committed to delivery within 18 hours or less using the WorldShare® Interlibrary Loan network.
What’s next:
Improved bibliographic matching rules automate item identification for interlibrary loan requests, reducing staff mediation and speeding fulfillment.
Personalized experience
Request, track, recommend, and return—all in one place
Library staff and library users benefit from the control and transparency of activities that are part of each individual’s experience. All transactions come together seamlessly to provide robust options and a complete history for the user, while also delivering workflow improvements and better access to useful metrics for staff.
What’s new:
A more accessible My Account means WorldCat Discovery and Tipasa® users can manage interlibrary loan activities, circulation information, and saved searches in one place. Plus, a new resource sharing request API enables libraries to extend and customize library workflows.
What’s next:
Capture library user preferences for electronic or print on the ILL request form. And eliminate dual data entry for staff and streamline workflows with enhanced integration with library management systems.
Powerful network
Unmatched potential to borrow, buy, and access resources
The library provides access to materials that are locally curated, authoritative, and credible. Through WorldCat, other connected services, and our vast network of members, library users gain universal access to a massive global inventory of resources. Our commitment to expand open content and our unmatched ability to actively connect libraries and partners further increases what’s available.
What’s new:
Users can now connect directly to their library’s e-resources from WorldCat.org search results. Also, a prominent open access indicator simplifies identification of open access items in WorldCat.org search results.
What’s next:
Accelerate collection strategies and shared print initiatives with the ability to reference registered WorldCat retentions and view count of holdings registered for retention by title using GreenGlass®.
We’re committed to continual innovation.
“Library on-demand provides immediate access and smart fulfillment of valuable resources, connecting library staff and end users to a massive global inventory through the power of WorldCat.”
Cathy King Executive Director, OCLC Delivery Services