Online Computer Library Centre (OCLC)
The Online Computer Library Centre is called in its abbreviated form as OCLC. It is the information and library network of America and is a very big and wide information network in the World. This network is a useful centre of providing access of all the resources and information available in the libraries of America.
Upto 1971 its name was Ohio College Library Centre, which has been changed now to Online Computer Library Centre (OCLC). This information network was established in 1967 in Dublin (Ohio), which has become very popular as it was used very much as a state-level information network.
In 1971, then online service also was started by this centre, therefore its nature has also been a good and important development in this direction. At present this network is very wide area information network not only in USA but also in the World.
Aims of OCLC
The main aim of this information network is to be a convenient automatic system for completing the library services such as ordering acquisition and cataloguing of the documents and to be an exhaustive system of inter library loan for providing reference and documentation services for reference librarians.
Activities and Programmes of OCLC
- MARC Tape – The provision of MARC tape is done in this centre not only for itself but also is provided on online through DIALOG, and they can be purchased. The material published before 1968 have not been added in MARC Tapes. Hence more than 60 lacs retrospective material is provided on online and the access of literature of 468 languages of the World available through MARC tape.
- Local Services – The centre is only the national programme of USA but it has also started many library units, so that the libraries can get the facilities of central cataloguing service and online reference and information services.
- Printing of Catalogue Cards – in 1972, this centre mixed together the records of all member libraries and LC, so the titles of the records may be identified and their catalogue cards may be prepared. As a result of the same, this centre was established as a Catalogue Production System, for which MARC tapes were used for providing proper library services and for this purpose the catalogue cards were printed and were distributed among member libraries.
- Inter-Library Loan – This centre provides inter library loan under reference and documentation services. The sub-system of this centre make available the material for inter library loan service in the New York state.
- Full Cataloguing of Periodicals – The full cataloguing of the periodicals is also done in this centre and the facilities of verification demand and union cataloguing is also provided through this system.
- Database Services – The collection of this centre is made in the form of database of the records of member libraries, MARC tape of LC, National Library of Medicine and GPO Monthly catalogue. The identification of the publications, published after 1968 can be done by its databases.
- Union Catalogue – This centre is also a by-product system of inter library loan of shared cataloguing which is its sub-system. It provides facilities of online union catalogue, which is made by affiliated libraries for providing regular information of their collections. The knowledge and identification of current collections of the participating libraries is made available very easily by union catalogues of OCLC. It saves the time of the users.
- Acquisition sub-system – This network provides the facilities of the acquisition sub-system to its users, the said system is known as SUBY\OCLC. This sub-system provides the facilities of making online acquisitions order to librarians of the participating libraries. This centre receives and prints these orders and send them to the book sellers to supply the books.