In February 2020, Anythink will become one of the first libraries in the country to implement OCLC Wise, a new community engagement system for U.S. public libraries. Developed by OCLC, a nonprofit global library cooperative, Wise will replace Anythink’s current library management and cataloguing system. Wise is the first community engagement system for libraries, transforming traditional library management with a holistic and people-centric approach.

“Wise represents a huge step forward in library software,” says Anythink Director of Products and Technology Logan Macdonald. “We are excited to work with OCLC on implementing this product for Anythink.”

The adoption of Wise is just one way that Anythink continues to focus on building community, a key element of its current strategic plan, by connecting people with ideas and each other. Wise will offer Anythink customers a more personalized experience with added communications tools and a modern, intuitive interface to help customers engage with the library’s materials in a more robust way. Additionally, Wise will help Anythink staff make informed and streamlined decisions about collection development, materials acquisition and distribution, library spaces, programming and, most importantly, community needs.

“The library as town square extends to our digital experience,” says Anythink Director Pam Sandlian Smith. “We look forward to implementing software that provides our community with an opportunity for increased engagement.”

As one of the most internationally recognized library brands, the adoption of Wise is just one more example of how Anythink responds to community needs and continues its forward-thinking approach to library services – a history that also includes being the first library to move to a word-based categorization system, participatory programming, and cutting-edge services. The library was awarded the 2010 National Medal for Library service, the 2011 John Cotton Dana Award for Outstanding Public Relations, the 2011 Library Journal Landmark Libraries award, and is a grantee of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation learning labs project.

While new to U.S. public libraries, Wise is used by more than 75 percent of public libraries in the Netherlands. More information about the implementation of Wise will follow in the coming months.