OCLC is expanding its Library and Information Science (LIS) Education Program to provide library and information science schools with access to additional services, research, and professional development resources designed to support practical learning and prepare students for careers in the library profession.
Established in 1979, the program provides faculty and students with access to selected OCLC services, allowing them to gain experience with the technologies, data services, and workflows used in libraries. The initiative aims to connect academic instruction with professional library practices.
OCLC’s cataloging and metadata services enable libraries to create, manage, and share bibliographic data. Through WorldCat, a global network of library data and expertise, libraries can reduce duplicate work, improve the discoverability of their collections, and help users locate materials across institutions.
Services available through the LIS Education Program include Connexion, which allows students to create and edit bibliographic and authority records; Meridian, which supports learning about linked data entities and connections between metadata and existing values in Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) records; WebDewey, which provides access to current Dewey Decimal Classification numbers for practicing library classification; and WorldShare Record Manager, which enables students to search and view WorldCat bibliographic and authority records, as well as create, save, and edit bibliographic records.
OCLC also plans to make a new release of its CONTENTdm digital collection management tools available through the program over the coming year.
In addition to access to OCLC services, participating LIS programs can use resources from the WebJunction community and OCLC Research. These resources are intended to help faculty and students stay informed about professional developments, emerging practices, and current issues affecting libraries.
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