Wusteman, JudithJudithWusteman2016-10-182016-10-182006 Emera2006OCLC Systems and Services: International Digital Library Perspectiveshttp://hdl.handle.net/10197/8071Purpose: To highlight the potential of web services for libraries. Design/methodology/approach: A brief description of web services is followed by a discussion of the importance of web service standards and the role of initiatives to encourage the development and use of such standards in libraries. Findings: Web services offer many advantages to the library community, but the majority of these advantages will only be realised if web services are standardised. Originality/value: This paper is a call to the library community to prevent the proliferation of proprietary web services by supporting the development and use of standard web services.enThis article is © Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here (please insert the web address here). Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.LibrariesWorldwide webStandardsJournal Article2215910.1108/106507506106407392016-09-28https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ie/