16 June 2020
Manchester Metropolitan University has signed on to use OCLC's WorldShare Management Services (WMS) as their new library management system to integrate workflows and increase visibility and access to resources.
As one of the largest universities in the United Kingdom, this modern university with roots dating back to 1824, has a reputation for innovation, creativity and impact. There are five faculties, 13 research centres and a range of departments, schools and professional support services that support the work of the University.
"Implementing WMS will result in a step change in Library provision and deliver huge benefits to our students, teachers and researchers. It's a reflection of our determination to deliver the best possible service to the University community, and we're really looking forward to the launch of WMS in January 2021," said Rachel Beckett, Director of Library Services at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Emily Shields, Library Services Manager, added, "Manchester Metropolitan University selected WMS because OCLC has a different approach to delivering services and we are able to integrate our current workflows into one system. They also offer added extras such as the Digby app."
"OCLC's ethos as a collaborative, membership driven cooperative is a real benefit to Manchester Met. Access to bibliographic data via WorldCat will enable us to promote our Special Collections holdings to a worldwide audience. WorldCat Discovery will also enable our users to expand their access to resources, exploring other library collections in their vicinity and offer us an enhanced interlibrary loans service to support our research agenda."
"Manchester Met Library are delighted to be working in partnership with OCLC," said Shields.
WMS, a cloud-based library services platform, provides users with fast, reliable access to the library's collections and the world's knowledge. With WorldCat data as its foundation, libraries using WMS experience improved workflows and a drastic reduction in the time it takes to perform routine tasks, including e-resource management and cataloging.
"We are very pleased to welcome Manchester Metropolitan University as part of the WMS community. They will have the opportunity to collaborate with other libraries worldwide and increase access to resources for their students and researchers with the help of WMS," said Eric van Lubeek, Vice President, Managing Director, OCLC EMEA & APAC.