ESSEN, Germany, 17 July 2024—OCLC welcomes Essen Public Library as the most recent major public library to announce the move from its current library system to BIBLIOTHECAnext, the newest generation of the market-leading system used by some 4,000 libraries in German-speaking countries in Europe.

“We were looking for a future-oriented library system that focuses on customer needs,” said Anja Flicker, Director of Essen Public Library. “We have big plans and are looking forward to having OCLC as a strong partner.”

Essen is in good company. Large public libraries such as Frankfurt, Bielefeld, and Vienna are already working with BIBLIOTHECAnext. Other major users of the OCLC software include the public libraries in Bremen, Leipzig, Dresden, and Wuppertal.

Essen is among the top 10 largest cities in Germany. The library serves a population of more than 580,000. Essen Public Library plans to move to BIBLIOTHECAnext by the end of the year.

The new generation of BIBLIOTHECAnext focuses on digital services, a modern platform and access to a wide range of partner systems. These include self-checkout systems via RFID, a library app and e-government functions such as e-payment and online registration, as well as a solution for ticketing and event management.

“We are happy to welcome Essen Public Library to the OCLC family,” said Eric van Lubeek, OCLC Vice President, Global Library Services. “Essen Public Library’s decision to move to BIBLIOTHECAnext demonstrates its plan for the future and its commitment to embracing innovation.”

More about BIBLIOTHECAnext is on the OCLC website.

OCLC, BIBLIOTHECAnext, WorldCat, and WorldShare are trademarks and/or service marks of OCLC, Inc. Third-party product, service and business names are trademarks and/or service marks of their respective owners.