El Paso Community College (EPCC) is stepping up its game in the digital library space by transitioning to OCLC's WorldShare Management Services (WMS), as reported by the college's news outlet. This migration aims to enhance the library's efficiency and modernize resource management, which is a boon for both students and faculty in the digital era.
The EPCC District-Wide Library Coordinator, Lorely Ambriz, highlighted the benefits of this system transition. "Our transition to WMS revolutionizes the EPCC student and instructional faculty experience, providing 24/7 access to academic resources and breaking down barriers to learning," Ambriz stated, as per EPCC News. She also mentioned that the upgrade is designed to streamline library research and ensure that technology evolves seamlessly with their services. With an annual enrollment of around 25,000 students, EPCC's move is seen as a crucial step in supporting a diverse student body that includes first-generation college students and military families.
The upgraded WorldShare Management Services, built around WorldCat, is a robust platform that empowers library staff to meet the evolving teaching, learning, and research needs. Through this shift, EPCC aims to enhance workflow, streamline manual processes, and modernize resource management, which also opens the door to a broader array of academic resources available through other libraries worldwide. According to OCLC Chief Product Officer Mary Sauer-Games, WMS will help connect EPCC users to their rich collections and to those of thousands of libraries around the globe. This interoperability comes from a conglomerate effort to maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections and services.
EPCC serves a significant student population, with more than 155 degree and certificate programs on offer. Since its inception in 1969, EPCC has been dedicated to fostering student engagement, growing community partnerships, and striving for excellence in education. Through strategic collaborations and by leveraging innovative student success initiatives, the college is reshaping the educational landscape and fortifying the regional workforce. The transition to WorldShare Management Services serves to reinforce EPCC's commitment to these goals. Details on the new system are available on the EPCC Tejano Library Search site.
