CR2 Blog the knowledge blog
  • scissors
    September 8th, 2012LISWire aggregatorLISWire

    OCLC has completed beta testing of the new OCLC WorldShare Interlibrary Loan service and is moving forward with an 18-month phased migration to the new service.

    WorldShare Interlibrary Loan is scheduled to replace WorldCat Resource Sharing in 2013 as part of libraries’ existing subscriptions. The new service will centralize workflows now managed in multiple systems, and provide new functionality that speeds fulfillment of interlibrary loan requests, saving time for library staff and library users.

    Librarians from 20 OCLC member libraries participated in a six-month beta test of WorldShare Interlibrary Loan:

    • Ann Arbor (Michigan) District Library
    • Antioch College (Ohio)
    • Bartholomew County (Indiana) Public Library
    • Delaware County (Pennsylvania) Library System
    • Fiske Genealogical Library (Washington)
    • Gaston College Libraries (North Carolina)
    • Harrison College (Indiana)
    • Illinois State Library
    • Jefferson County (Colorado) Public Library
    • Kenton County (Kentucky) Public Library
    • La Salle University (Pennsylvania)
    • Mercer University, Tarver Library (Georgia)
    • Methodist Theological School in Ohio
    • Newbury College (Massachusetts)
    • Saline County (Arkansas) Public Libraries
    • Simpson University (California)
    • Spalding University (Kentucky)
    • University of Richmond (Virginia)
    • Washington County Cooperative Library Services (Oregon)
    • Westchester County Library System (New York)

    Librarians from these institutions provided input that helped shape the development of WorldShare Interlibrary Loan. Many beta testing participants will continue their roles as advisors to OCLC on development of the new service as members of a new WorldShare Interlibrary Loan Advisory Group.

    "We’re very grateful to the librarians who participated in the beta testing phase and look forward to continuing to work with the WorldShare Interlibrary Loan Advisory Group,” said Katie Birch, Director, OCLC Delivery Services. “Their efforts are helping to guide development of this new service, and will be of great benefit to libraries and library users worldwide.”

    “As a member of the beta test team for WorldShare Interlibrary Loan, I felt it was important to be a part of the advisory committee to ensure the work we did and the vision we have for this new ILL platform will be carried forward,” said Franca Rosen, Head, Interlibrary Loan Services, Jefferson County Public Library, Lakewood, Colorado. “WorldShare Interlibrary Loan will present many new features that will facilitate the processing of requests, resulting in more efficient use of staff time and improved customer service.”

    Members of the WorldShare Interlibrary Loan Advisory Group include:

    • Franca Rosen, Jefferson County Public Library
    • Cassie Maringer, Washington County Cooperative Library Services
    • Helen Subbio, Delaware County Library System
    • Lynn Bierma, Illinois State Library
    • Vickie Pitts, Harrison College
    • Andrew Shuping, Mercer University
    • Denise Wirrig, Bartholomew County Public Library
    • Emily Stivers, Spalding University

    The release of WorldShare Interlibrary Loan represents the first large migration of OCLC member libraries to the OCLC WorldShare Platform, where they will benefit from expanded integration across a growing number of services. The platform will enable library staff and others to develop applications that will help them connect the service with other services in use within their libraries. They may also use the new service it in conjunction with other components of OCLC WorldShare Management Services.

    The phased rollout of the service has begun and will continue through December 2013. Open migration for all WorldCat Resource Sharing users will begin in February 2013 and continue until the end of access to WorldCat Resource Sharing on December 31, 2013.

    OCLC has invited a small group of libraries with a low volume of borrowing-only interlibrary loan activity to participate in the initial 90-day managed migration currently in progress. Participation in the next managed migration group, scheduled to begin in October 2012, will be open to interested WorldCat Resource Sharing librarians whose normal interlibrary loan activities can be supported by available functionality in the service before its full release in February.

    More information about WorldShare Interlibrary Loan is available at: www.oclc.org/migrate-worldshare-ill/.