n.a nonprofit organization, made up of libraries, archives, museums, and other institutions, that maintains a union catalog called WorldCat, provides information services, and undertakes research projectsSahli 1986, 13, fn. 7OCLC, the Online Computer Library Center, began providing online services in 1971 and is the largest bibliographic service in the United States.Haynes, Kaid, and Rand 1996, 54Bibliographic control over the PCA’s holdings is accomplished through two databases. A local database designed using R-Base, System V software provides access to detailed information about individual spots and the Online Computer Library Center’s (OCLC) Union Catalog that supports the creation of collection-level records. Collection-level records are created to alert scholars, researchers, and other potential users to the existence of the PCA and direct them to it. In creating these records, the project helps further the important goal of universal archival control for all types of materials.OCLC 2004Founded in 1967, OCLC Online Computer Library Center is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world’s information and reducing information costs. More than 45,000 libraries in 84 countries and territories around the world use OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend and preserve library materials. ¶ Researchers, students, faculty, scholars, professional librarians and other information seekers use OCLC services to obtain bibliographic, abstract and full-text information when and where they need it. ¶ OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat—the OCLC Online Union Catalog.Lawton and Lawton 2009, 499The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) is a well-known worldwide consortium, whose member libraries help to maintain WorldCat, its online union catalog.Allison-Bunnell 2022, 569OCLC’s user research is the project’s most compelling effort to date and a very significant contribution not only to the potential development of NAFAN [National Archival Finding Aid Network], but to the archives field in general.
Notes
At the time of its founding in 1967, OCLC was known as the Ohio College Library Center. The organization changed its name to the Online Computer Library Center in 1977 as its mission expanded. The abbreviation became the organization’s formal name in 2017.OCLC acquired the Research Libraries Group in 2006, including data from the Research Libraries Information Network.
