OCLC WebJunction awarded IMLS grant to update public library competency framework. Dublin, OH - 10 September 2026. OCLC WebJunction, in partnership with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL), the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), and representatives from seven state libraries, has been awarded a grant to update a public library competency framework. The updated framework will help library staff strengthen their knowledge and skills in today's evolving environment of AI-driven digital transformation, increased community service demands, and expanded workforce development responsibilities. The 24-month, $299,807 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services will be used to update WebJunction's Competency Index for the Library Field, and design a set of credentials mapped to the Index. The project team will first conduct a study of current library competencies and credentials and document how they are used across the public library field, especially in small and rural libraries. The project will also be informed by WebJunction's recently developed Library Foundational Training (LiFT) core library skills training series, also funded by IMLS. "Today's public library staff face a rapidly changing environment and are increasingly expected to deliver a widening array of high-impact services," said Andrew Harbison, WebJunction Director. "An updated competency framework, coupled with practical, competency-based credentials, can help address challenges faced by public libraries and their staff. We're grateful to IMLS for their support of this project." OCLC's WebJunction program, which has been providing freely accessible learning resources such as courses, webinars, and other training material for over 20 years, will collaborate closely with ARSL and COSLA to align project goals, and to distribute and promote project results. The project deliverables will be made freely available through the WebJunction website. "Libraries always strive to meet the evolving needs of their communities, and those needs help inform the skills and abilities required of library staff. Having a comprehensive and up-to-date competency index will be invaluable to the work of the libraries themselves, as well as for those of us who work behind the scenes in support of library professionals," said Kate Laughlin, ARSL Executive Director First published in 2009, the Competency Index for the Library Field was updated through rigorous research and consultation with library staff and consultants in 2014, with funding from IMLS. The public library environment has continued to change dramatically since then, requiring review and updates to reflect current realities. More about the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant is on the IMLS website. About IMLS. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. Library Technology advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about its diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit https://www.imls.gov/ and follow Library Technology on Facebook and Twitter. About ARSL. Association of Rural and Small Libraries builds strong communities through advocacy, professional development, and elevating the impact of rural and small libraries. About COSLA. Chief Officers of State Library Agencies is an independent organization of the chief officers of state and territorial agencies designated as the state library administrative agency and responsible for statewide library development. About WebJunction. A program of OCLC Research, WebJunction equips library staff with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to power strong libraries that are the heart of vibrant communities. WebJunction is free and open for all libraries to use, regardless of size, type, or location. About OCLC. OCLC is a nonprofit global library organization that provides shared technology services, original research, and community programs so that libraries can better fuel learning, research, and innovation. Through OCLC, member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections and services. Libraries gain efficiencies through OCLC's WorldShare, a complete set of library management applications and services built on an open, cloud-based platform. It is through collaboration and sharing of the world's collected knowledge that libraries can help people find answers they need to solve problems. Together as OCLC, member libraries, staff, and partners make breakthroughs possible. | Summary: | OCLC WebJunction, in partnership with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL), the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), and representatives from seven state libraries, has been awarded a grant to update a public library competency framework. The updated framework will help library staff strengthen their knowledge and skills in today's evolving environment of AI-driven digital transformation, increased community service demands, and expanded workforce development responsibilities. | | Publication Year: | 2026 | | Type of Material: | Press Release | | Language | English | | Date Issued: | September 11, 2026 | | Publisher: | OCLC | | Company: | OCLC | | Permalink: | https://librarytechnology.org/pr/32917/oclc-webjunction-awarded-imls-grant-to-update-public-library-competency-framework | DocumentID: 32917 views: 68 Created: 2026-09-11 05:31:29 Last Modified: 2026-09-11 08:18:04.

OCLC recognizes 2026 award recipients at ALA Annual Conference. OCLC / 03 August 2026 During the 2026 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois, OCLC recognized several recipients of OCLC-sponsored awards. OCLC's commitment to research and education includes furthering the advancement of librarianship and supporting awards of achievement. OCLC is proud to recognize these 2026 award recipients: LJ's 2026 Librarian of the Year Award - Kelvin Watson, Executive Director, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District ALA Medal of Excellence - Amy Mikel, Senior Director of Customer Experience, Brooklyn Public Library Core Career LIFT Award - Irina Stanishevskaya, Associate Professor, Head of the Collection Management Services, Metadata Librarian for Electronic Resources, UAB Libraries, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Core Career LIFT Award - Maddie Sharpe, Downtown Campus Librarian, North Dakota State University Humphry/Forest Press Award for International Librarianship - Michael Dowling, Retired Director, International Relations and Chapter Relations, ALA Margaret Mann Citation - Danny Joudrey, Professor and Director of Libraries and Librarianship Concentration at Simmons University, School of Library and Information Science, Boston, MA Virginia Boucher Distinguished ILL Librarian Award - Brynne Norton, Head of Resource Sharing & Reserves, University of Maryland Libraries

Old Dominion University selects OCLC's WorldShare Management Services as its library services platform. ODU partners with OCLC to streamline operations and provide greater access to global research resources for students and faculty. DUBLIN, Ohio, 18 May 2026 - Old Dominion University (ODU) recently concluded a comprehensive review of its library systems, and OCLC's WorldShare Management Services (WMS) emerged as the clear choice to provide ODU Libraries with the library services platform it needed. ODU is a public doctoral research university with nearly 24,000 students and rigorous academics. ODU's world-class faculty foster dynamic on-campus and global online learning for undergraduate and graduate students to enrich their lives, promote insightful and perceptive leadership, and motivate the pursuit of excellence in their chosen fields and professions. Aligning library services for the future This year, ODU marks the 50th anniversary of the Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library, one of the campus's most iconic buildings. Notably, ODU Libraries serves as an essential part of the teaching, research, service, and outreach mission across campus and is strategically aligned and focused on the future. After more than a decade with its previous provider, ODU Libraries conducted an extensive review of its systems process over several years. Following the ODU-Eastern Virginia Medical School merger in July 2024, the Brickell Medical Sciences Library, which had been using WMS for years, became a part of the ODU Libraries organization. The combined libraries then jointly selected WMS for its scalability and its strong alignment with ODU's strategic direction and long-term needs. Partnering to advance innovation, research, and student success WMS offers a proven and comprehensive cloud-based library services platform that streamlines workflows, enhances resource discoverability, and integrates seamlessly with existing systems. WMS is continually enhanced through ongoing communication and collaboration with library partners. The result is an advanced, flexible platform that continues to evolve to support student success and meet the complex challenges facing modern academic libraries. "Old Dominion University is a great addition to the WMS community," said Mary Sauer-Games, OCLC Chief Product Officer. "ODU's dynamic learning environment will be supported by WMS's capabilities to improve discoverability and broaden access to global resources through WorldCat. Building on the continued growth of WMS and our strong resource sharing network, we're confident that ODU will be well equipped to meet the evolving needs of students and faculty for years to come." WMS is a cloud-based, integrated library management platform that connects local operations to a shared global data network with WorldCat as its foundation. The system supports: * Acquisitions * Circulation * Cataloging and Metadata * Interlibrary Loan * License Management About OCLC. OCLC is a nonprofit global library organization that provides shared technology services, original research and community programs so that libraries can better fuel learning, research and innovation. Through OCLC, member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections and services. Libraries gain efficiencies through OCLC's WorldShare, a complete set of library management applications and services built on an open, cloud-based platform. It is through collaboration and sharing of the world's collected knowledge that libraries can help people find answers they need to solve problems. Together as OCLC, member libraries, staff and partners make breakthroughs possible. OCLC, WorldCat, and WorldShare are trademarks and/or service marks of OCLC, Inc. Third-party product, service and business names are trademarks and/or service marks of their respective owners. Contact. * bob murphy manager, media relations O: +1-614-761-5136 send an email. Stay connected with OCLC Abstracts. OCLC's digest of news, events, and research