# WorldCat > international union library catalog **Wikidata**: [Q846596](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846596) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldCat) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/worldcat ## Summary WorldCat is an organization established on August 26, 1971[1]. It operates as a website.The platform serves as a global catalog of library collections. WorldCat was created to facilitate resource sharing and discovery among libraries worldwide. ## Summary WorldCat is an international union library catalog and online database that aggregates the collections of libraries worldwide. Owned and operated by the global library cooperative OCLC, Inc., it serves as a central bibliography and search tool for library materials. The platform was created in 1971 and is accessible in multiple languages. ## Key Facts * **Definition:** WorldCat is an international union library catalog, online public access catalog (OPAC), and bibliography database. * **Operator:** Owned and operated by **OCLC, Inc.**, a global library cooperative. * **Inception:** The catalog was created on **August 26, 1971**. * **Headquarters:** The operations are based in **Dublin, Ohio, United States**, the headquarters of OCLC. * **OCLC Number:** The entity itself holds the OCLC Number **42004954**. * **Website:** The primary search interface is accessible at `https://search.worldcat.org/`. * **Components:** It includes the "Faceted Application of Subject Terminology" (FAST) as a component part. * **Traffic Rank:** As of December 2021, the platform held an Alexa rank of 3,756. * **Identifiers:** WorldCat is associated with VIAF ID **176058852** and FAST ID **1398494**. ## FAQs ### Q: Who owns and operates WorldCat? A: WorldCat is owned and operated by OCLC, Inc., a global library cooperative. OCLC was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. ### Q: What kind of resource is WorldCat classified as? A: WorldCat is classified as a union catalog, an online public access catalog (OPAC), a website, a database, and a bibliography. It serves as a comprehensive tool for bibliographic scanning and scholarly communication. ### Q: When was WorldCat created? A: WorldCat was created on August 26, 1971. ### Q: Is WorldCat a commercial service? A: While operated by OCLC, Inc., it functions within the industry of libraries, archives, museums, and cultural activities. It is distinct from WorldCat Identities, which is a related but separate entity. ## Why It Matters WorldCat serves as the foundational infrastructure for the global library community, functioning as the world's most comprehensive network of library data and resources. By aggregating collections from thousands of libraries into a single "union catalog," it solves the critical logistical problem of resource discovery and sharing across institutional boundaries. It allows researchers, students, and the general public to search the holdings of libraries worldwide through a single interface, significantly reducing the fragmentation of knowledge. The platform is essential for interlibrary loans, citation verification, and bibliographic research. Its creation in 1971 marked a pivotal shift in library science toward digital cooperation, evolving from a regional cooperative to a global utility. As a bibliography and database, it preserves the metadata of cultural heritage, ensuring that materials held in specific physical locations remain discoverable to a global audience. Operated by the non-profit cooperative OCLC, WorldCat prioritizes the needs of libraries and information seekers, acting as the central nervous system for library technical services and public discovery. ## Notable For * **Scope:** Being an international union catalog that connects library collections globally rather than serving a single institution. * **Cooperative Model:** Being operated by OCLC, Inc., a global cooperative founded in 1967, rather than a private commercial entity. * **Longevity:** Having maintained operations since August 1971, pre-dating the modern internet. * **Linguistic Reach:** Offering a search interface available in multiple languages. * **Standardization:** Serving as a central repository for bibliographic data and utilizing standardized identifiers like OCLC numbers. ## Body ### Organizational Structure and Ownership WorldCat is the flagship product of **OCLC, Inc.**, a global library cooperative. OCLC was founded on July 5, 1967, and is currently headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, United States. The organization operates within the industries of library and archives activities, information technology, and cultural heritage management. The governance and operation of WorldCat are tied directly to this cooperative structure, serving member libraries rather than shareholders. ### History and Development The inception of WorldCat is recorded as **August 26, 1971**. This date marks the beginning of the database that would evolve into the world's largest bibliographic database. The project emerged from the academic and bibliographic needs of the library community, driven by the OCLC cooperative. Over the decades, it has transitioned from a technical tool for librarians to a public-facing search interface. ### Technical Classification and Features WorldCat is classified as a union catalog, meaning it catalogs the contents of a group of independent libraries. It is also defined as: * An online public access catalog (OPAC) * A bibliography * A database * A website * An organization (in the context of its administration) The system incorporates the **Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST)**, a vocabulary derived from the Library of Congress Subject Headings, to assist in subject indexing. ### Access and Identifiers The platform is accessible via the website `https://search.worldcat.org/`. It supports queries in multiple languages. WorldCat is distinct from "WorldCat Identities," which is a separate related entity. In the context of linked data and library science, WorldCat connects to numerous authority files and identifiers: * **VIAF ID:** 176058852 * **FAST ID:** 1398494 * **Library of Congress Authority ID:** no2006000525 * **BabelNet ID:** 00538602n * **Wikidata Properties:** It is the primary reference for properties P243, P5505, P2163, and P5331. ### Web Presence and Usage As of late 2021, WorldCat maintained a significant web presence with an Alexa rank of 3,756. It has a high volume of interwiki links and site links across various Wikipedia language editions, reflecting its status as a primary source for bibliographic verification. The main semantic search URL is formatted as `https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=$1&qt=owc_search`. ## References 1. Bibliographic Scan of Digital Scholarly Communication Infrastructure 2. WorldCat 3. [Source](https://blog.oclc.org/next/celebrating-45-years-of-worldcat/) 4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 5. [Source](https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/worldcat.org) 6. BabelNet 7. Quora 8. Virtual International Authority File