OCLC was established in 1967 as a non-profit corporation in order "to promote the evolution of library use, of libraries themselves, and of librarianship" (Kilgour). OCLC was also created "to establish, maintain, and operate a computerized regional library center...designed to become a part of any national electronic network for bibliographic communication; to develop, maintain, and operate a shared cataloging program; to create, maintain, and operate a computerized central catalog of books and journals in the participating libraries." OCLC was created to fulfill 3 needs: "make resources available to users...that separately computerized libraries could never achieve; expand computer capabilities as libraries joined in their computer activities; minimize duplication processing...thereby reduc[ing] costs of duplication and costs for the computerization of major processes in libraries" (Maciuszko).

In 1971, the online catalog system could be searched by libraries and member input cataloging was accepted. In 1972, the OCLC control number index was available online. In 1973, an extended search function offered as well as computer-produced accession lists. In 1975, the database was expanded and reorganized: new search key structures and a personal author index was available. In 1976, the first issue of Technical Reports was produced. That same year, new search strategies were offered: a corporate name index, a revised truncated entry display, and retrieval of personal names from added entry fields and implements card production for MARC II formats in addition to books.

OCLC's name changed in 1977 when the Ohio College Library Center became the Online Computer Library Center, Inc. OCLC offered three major online subsystems: Shared Cataloging and Union Catalog, Interlibrary Loan, and Serials Control. In 1980, it planned to implement three other subsystems: Acquisitions, Public Services, and Circulation Control.