From your 1997-98 OCLC Users' Council Delegates: Benard Strong Marcia Talley [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask] ph: 202-287-9463 ph: 410-293-6905 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION: Nita Dean +1-614-761-5002 [log in to unmask] K. Wayne Smith to step down as OCLC President and CEO in June Dublin, Ohio, Oct. 6, 1997--K. Wayne Smith, president and chief executive officer of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, announced on Oct. 5 that he would step down in June 1998. Dr. Smith, age 59, has been president since Jan. 23, 1989. He said he would continue to serve OCLC in an advisory capacity after June 1998 but would no longer be involved in day-to-day management. Dr. Smith made the announcement at the October meeting of the OCLC Users Council, which comprises representatives from OCLC-affiliated networks and service centers. Dr. Smith stated: "I strongly believe this is the right decision at the right time for OCLC and for me. The OCLC that I have been privileged to lead for the last nine years is an international institution with the vital public purposes of helping libraries further access to the world's information and reduce the costs of that information. OCLC has become a global force in scholarship, research and education. For me personally, this job has been a joy. To quote Teddy Roosevelt, it has indeed been 'work worth doing.' I also believe, however, that after nearly 10 years, it is time for new leadership at OCLC. My successor will inherit a strong, diverse and global library membership, a talented and dedicated staff, and the opportunity for even greater success for OCLC in the 21st century." Before becoming OCLC's third president in 1989, Dr. Smith held key posts in academe, business and government. He has taught at the U.S. Military Academy, Princeton University and Wake Forest University. He has served as chairman and CEO of World Book Encyclopedia; group managing partner, Coopers & Lybrand; president and CEO, Dart Properties Group; and program manager for defense studies, the RAND Corporation. He was also director of program analysis for the National Security Council, and in this White House role he reported directly to Henry Kissinger. Dr. Smith received the B.A. in political science from Wake Forest University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics and political science from Princeton University. Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing information costs. More than 25,000 libraries in 63 countries use OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend and preserve library materials. Researchers, students, faculty, professional librarians and other information seekers use OCLC services to obtain bibliographic, abstract and full-text information when and where they need it. OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the most consulted electronic database in higher education. OCLC's revenues in 1997 were $156 million. There are approximately 1,000 employees at OCLC's 100-acre campus in Dublin, Ohio. (PS) -0- ------ Message Header Follows ------ Received: from oclc.org by msunion.dev.oclc.org (PostalUnion/SMTP(tm) v2.1.9a for Windows NT(tm)) id AA-1997Oct06.141235.1083.1343828; Mon, 06 Oct 1997 14:12:36 -0400 Received: from by oclc.org (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AL25217; Mon, 6 Oct 97 14:08:06 EDT Received: from OCLC.ORG by OCLC.ORG (LISTSERV-TCP/IP release 1.8b) with spool id 20080 for [log in to unmask]; Mon, 6 Oct 1997 10:35:58 -0400 Received: from oa1-server.dev.oclc.org by oclc.org (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA04353; Mon, 6 Oct 97 10:35:57 EDT Received: by oa1-server.dev.oclc.org with Internet Mail Service (5.0.1458.49) id <4KZG54T7>; Mon, 6 Oct 1997 10:35:58 -0400 X-Priority: 3 Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.0.1458.49) Content-Type: text/plain Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]> Date: Mon, 6 Oct 1997 10:35:58 -0400 Reply-To: News Releases from OCLC <[log in to unmask]> Sender: News Releases from OCLC <[log in to unmask]> From: "Makssour,Marifay" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: K. Wayne Smith to step down To: Multiple recipients of list OCLC-NEWS <[log in to unmask]>