Relais International, which provides systems to support interlibrary loan and document delivery services, has signed an agreement with OCLC that will allow mutual subscribers access to WorldCat data and OCLC services through the OCLC WorldShare Platform.

Under this new partnership, Relais will use the WorldCat Search API so that library staff can search WorldCat from within Relais to retrieve holdings information. Relais will also use the WorldCat Resource Sharing API so that requests and updates can be sent to and received from the OCLC WorldCat Resource Sharing service.

These options for access to OCLC will be available to Relais users whose institutional holdings are visible on WorldCat.org and who subscribe to the WorldCat Resource Sharing service. Libraries that qualify for keys to the APIs will be able to activate the services within Relais.

This partnership is facilitated through the new OCLC WorldShare Platform, which enables OCLC and library partners to configure and share a wide range of applications that deliver new functionality and value for libraries and their users.

“This new agreement will allow Relais resource sharing users to expand the reach of their searches to include the thousands of OCLC Resource Sharing libraries worldwide,” said Chip Nilges, OCLC Vice President, Business Development. “We’re pleased to have Relais as a partner, creating more value for libraries through collaboration on the OCLC WorldShare Platform.”

As an OCLC partner, Relais is considering using other APIs to gain access to the OCLC Policies Directory and the newly deployed Article Exchange document-sharing site.

Relais International Inc. is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and has been selling systems to support interlibrary loan and document delivery services since 1996. Relais International (www.relais-intl.com) assists libraries in implementing intelligent and automated methods to support the delivery of documents. Relais products range from scanning stations to fully integrated request management, scanning and delivery software suitable for single libraries and consortia.

OCLC 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 library costs. More than 72,000 libraries in 170 countries have used OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend, preserve and manage 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 world’s largest online database for discovery of library resources. Search WorldCat.org on the Web at www.worldcat.org. For more information, visit the OCLC website at www.oclc.org.