OCLC Institute takes up global librarianship

The OCLC Institute guided 41 librarians from 18 countries in a highly interactive critical analysis of the foundations of global cooperative librarianship during a workshop in Dublin, Ohio, on March 18.

The program followed the OCLC Research Library Directors Conference, held March 15–16.

Introducing the program, Erik Jul, associate director for the OCLC Institute, invited participants to consider cooperative librarianship on the largest scale, "a transcendent practice of knowledge management that enables individual access to a virtual global collection of selected knowledge resources."

In a plenary session, workshop participants identified key success factors--conditions that must exist in support of global cooperative librarianship--such as shared vision, leadership, effective communications, understanding of cultural diversity, and demonstrable benefits.

Breaking into small groups for facilitated discussions, participants identified barriers and solutions for selected key success factors before reporting their findings and recommendations to the plenary session. Mr. Jul encouraged participants to craft their recommended next steps as "specific, realistic, near-term actions that you could actually do."

As one next step, the OCLC Institute will publish a full workshop report for dissemination worldwide.

"This OCLC Institute workshop reaffirmed OCLC’s belief that traditional boundaries are virtually meaningless today," said Phyllis Spies, vice president, OCLC Worldwide Sales. "Cooperation and interdependence are prerequisites for success because of the global character of the challenges facing libraries today."

The OCLC Institute, an educational division of OCLC, promotes the evolution of libraries through advanced education and knowledge exchange. The OCLC Institute conducts educational and consulting programs worldwide. Recent or planned international venues include Canada, Brazil, Iceland, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom.