Following a comprehensive governance study, the OCLC Global Council ratified plans to establish a new council structure to clarify its role and increase member engagement. The new OCLC Leaders Council will be phased in over the next year with a clear purpose: to provide library perspectives that inform OCLC’s strategic goals and to elect six trustees to the Board of Trustees.
The new Leaders Council combines three Regional Councils into one group comprised of two delegations—one consisting of members from North, Central, and South America and one that unites Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific regions. It allows flexibility in its membership to range from no fewer than 20 to no more than 24 members.
The evolution to a new OCLC Leaders Council follows 18 months of assessment.
From now until November, the current Global Council structure will remain intact. A transition team that includes both planning team members and additional members of Council will lead the transition to ensure complete implementation by November 2025.
The library landscape has changed significantly since the last OCLC Council governance study in 2008. In addition to the Council, OCLC members now connect with and provide feedback to OCLC staff through multiple channels—including advisory groups, the OCLC Community Center, as development partners, and through the Research Library Partnership.
Read the full press release here.