OCLC | Vibepedia

OCLC is a nonprofit cooperative that underpins the operations of libraries worldwide. Established in 1967 as the Ohio College Library Center, it evolved into the Online Computer Library Center before formally becoming OCLC, Inc. in 2017. Its core mission is to provide shared technology services, conduct original research, and foster community programs for its vast membership. Through cooperative efforts, OCLC and its member libraries maintain WorldCat, the most extensive online public access catalog globally. The organization is primarily funded by library fees, generating approximately $217.8 million annually as of 2021, and is also the steward of the influential [[dewey-decimal-classification|Dewey Decimal Classification]] system, a cornerstone of library organization for over a century.