Library Technology Guides

WorldCat.org puts the world's libraries at people's fingertips. WorldCat.org, the only website that connects online searchers to the world's libraries, has been redesigned and reimagined to offer greater accessibility to the collections and resources of more than 10,000 libraries. From an updated technology infrastructure to a contemporary search interface and a wealth of additional user-centric features, the new site meets the needs of information seekers from academic researchers to those looking for their next vacation read. [Full Announcement].

Reimagined WorldCat.org offers an improved user experience, more ways to engage, better connections to libraries from where people start their searches. OCLC, the leading library technology and research organization, has introduced a new WorldCat.org, reimagining the single website that connects people to thousands of libraries in one search. The project is part of OCLC's commitment to increase access to libraries and their collections, and to help expand their impact. OCLC's ongoing investment in WorldCat.org ensures libraries and their extensive collections are easily accessible to anyone searching for information. [Full Announcement].

National Library of Sweden. Seven years of negotiations finished – KB /LIBRIS-libraries join WorldCat – Important success for the principle of Creative Commons. After seven years of negotiation, the National Library of Sweden has signed an agreement to join WorldCat, one of the world’s largest library catalogs, operated by OCLC. During the entire negotiation period KB maintained that data in LIBRIS should be freely available under the Creative Commons open license (CC0) and in February 2014 OCLC and KB finally signed an agreement regarding open licensing. The important agreement on open licensing will enable KB and the affiliated LIBRIS libraries to become members of WorldCat. [Full Announcement].

OCLC completes major technical upgrade of core WorldCat infrastructure. On June 6, OCLC completed the development work to convert the underlying structure for its WorldCat database to Apache HBase, a distributed platform in use by many global information providers, including Facebook, Adobe and Salesforce.com. This marks the conclusion of a significant technical update to the WorldCat database of more than 300 million library records and more than 2 billion library holdings that will offer new options for data analysis and faster service to libraries and their users. [Full Announcement].

La base de datos WorldCat alcanzó 2000 millones en existencias. WorldCat, la base de datos en línea más completa de recursos disponibles en bibliotecas de todo el mundo, marcó otro hito importante con el agregado de sus 2000 millones en existencias. [Full Announcement].

WorldCat turns 40. August 26, 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of WorldCat, the world’s most comprehensive database of resources held in libraries around the globe. On August 26, 1971, the OCLC Online Union Catalog and Shared Cataloging system (now known as WorldCat) began operation. That first day, from a single terminal, catalogers at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, cataloged 133 books online. Today, WorldCat comprises more than 240 million records representing more than 1.7 billion items in OCLC member libraries worldwide. [Full Announcement].