History & Organization
Background
FEDLINK (the Federal Library and Information Network) offers any U.S. federal agency, through its library, information center, or other information office, the opportunity to enhance the resources available to meet the requirements of its personnel. FEDLINK was established in 1976 to allow federal libraries to participate in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC).
FEDLINK Programs and Services
Using FEDLINK service contracts, federal libraries, information centers, and other offices obtain services directly from commercial sources. These contracts usually provide substantial discounts not available to individual customers. For both large- and small-volume users, this approach secures favorable terms assuring lower costs.
Through FEDLINK, agencies have cost-effective access to a number of information- or operations-support services, including:
- Online reference databases from the major vendors
- Cataloging, interlibrary loan, acquisitions, and serials control from bibliographic utilities,
- Ordering services of book jobbers and serials subscription agencies
- Training on OCLC, Internet, and other information services
FEDLINK is also the formal support network federal libraries participating in the OCLC cataloging, resource sharing, and reference systems. FEDLINK staff conduct training in the use of the OCLC system, as well as Internet and other library/information services. The FEDLINK network also functions as a center for evaluating new library technologies.
Last Updated: 03/12/2014
