Rachel Frick
OCLC, Inc. Executive Director, OCLC Research
Dublin, Ohio
Rachel is Executive Director, Research Partnerships and Engagement, overseeing OCLC's Research Library Partnership, a venue for research libraries to undertake significant, innovative, collective action to benefit libraries, scholars and researchers everywhere.
Rachel has nearly 20 years of broad-based library experience, including senior positions at the Digital Public Library of America, the Digital Library Federation at the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the University of Richmond.
OCLC began with a very simple idea in 1967. A group of academic library leaders in Ohio realized that by sharing cataloging tasks and data, they could reduce costs, increase the productivity of their staffs and improve their service to their users. More and more libraries joined the efforts of cooperative cataloging because they saw the benefits of streamlining processes, spending less money, and sharing resources—spreading first to other US states, and then to other countries around the world.
The result of thousands of libraries sharing cataloging records evolved into WorldCat, the world’s most comprehensive international collection of library data available anywhere. The range of OCLC products has since expanded, and now includes services for resource sharing, discovery and reference, library management, and additional metadata services.
Our member libraries come together to share data, collections, services, and expertise with the goal of increasing access to knowledge. Through our technology products, original research, and community programs, we empower libraries to better serve their communities by solving critical problems, removing barriers to success, and inspiring breakthroughs.