Redesigned and Reimagined WorldCat Launches from OCLC

NISO Member News

Dublin, OH. |. 24 August 2022

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.

"Libraries are the greatest sources of knowledge on the planet. And the updates to WorldCat.org make the world's largest collection of library resources on the web more discoverable," said Skip Prichard, President and CEO of OCLC, a global library nonprofit that's been innovating library technology, resources, and research for more than 50 years. "WorldCat.org is a powerful guide to library resources. There's nothing else like it. It's the only site that connects people to thousands of libraries and their collections in one simple search."

The new WorldCat.org makes it easier to discover unique resources from libraries around the corner or around the world. The improved site has a mobile-friendly and intuitive user experience informed by in-depth user research. And there are new ways for anyone to engage, explore, and share information and interests with others, including:

• The addition of resource pages for exploration of topics of interest
• Library information pages that feature locally relevant information
• Ability to select favorite libraries, create personalized lists of items in library collections and share those lists in email or on social media
• Search results based on libraries and resources nearby
• Improved ways to find and get local library resources

Millions of people already explore billions of library resources every year through WorldCat.org. People are typically looking for information about historically significant and/or popular figures (like musicians, politicians, social activists, and athletes), time periods (like international conflicts, artistic movements, and revolutionary eras), topics (like genealogy or a personal hobby) or geographical locations. Searches include a broad range of languages, which reflects the diverse communities that libraries serve.

Visitors search for everything from popular materials to unexpected finds across a wide variety of formats including:

• 440 million articles
• 405 million books
• 43 million e-books
• 25 million sound recordings
• 10 million music scores
• 6 million maps
• 30 million theses/dissertations

For people in school, starting a career, or considering a new hobby, WorldCat.org is an invaluable resource for lifelong learning anywhere on their journey. The site shows people all formats of library resources and highlights the materials that are closest to them.

"OCLC introduced WorldCat.org in 2006 to support libraries with a unique opportunity to showcase their collections online to people who may not otherwise use the library," continued Prichard. "Since then, user needs and the ability of technology to fulfill them have changed significantly. Our ongoing investment in WorldCat.org ensures libraries and their extensive collections meet people where they begin their search for information."

About This Organization

About WorldCat.org

Since 2006, WorldCat.org has been the window to the collections and resources of more than 10,000 libraries in more than 100 countries around the world. WorldCat.org is a unique destination, representing the world's largest library community on the web. WorldCat.org is an innovation of OCLC, a nonprofit global library organization that provides shared technology services, original research, and community programs to member libraries and the library community at large. OCLC, member libraries, publishers, and other partner organizations collaboratively maintain WorldCat.org. Explore WorldCat.org on the web.

About OCLC

OCLC is a nonprofit global library organization that provides shared technology services, original research and community programs so that libraries can better fuel learning, research and innovation. Through OCLC, member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections and services. Libraries gain efficiencies through OCLC’s WorldShare, a complete set of library management applications and services built on an open, cloud-based platform. It is through collaboration and sharing of the world’s collected knowledge that libraries can help people find answers they need to solve problems. Together as OCLC, member libraries, staff and partners make breakthroughs possible.