CRL Collection Philosophy
As a membership organization, the primary community served by CRL’s collections are member libraries and affiliated researchers. CRL provides rich, diverse, and relevant collections and services that complement the aggregate of their local collections.
CRL is actively developing a Global Collection that reflects a multi-faceted approach to collecting materials which represent diverse perspectives, regions, and disciplines that include voices and knowledge systems worldwide. Our work reflects our understanding that all human knowledge is interconnected and requires a collection strategy that reflects the global nature of scholarship. We affirm having an ethical responsibility to acquire, steward, and provide access to collections in a manner consistent with our mission vision and values.
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Collections Team
Kevin Merriman | Director of Global Collections
Marie Waltz | Head of Access Initiatives and Collections Care
Marlies Bauhofer | Collections Services Librarian
Patrick Nowacki | Print Services Manager
Teeaye Nettles | ILL Services Manager
Rory Harkleroad | Access Initiatives Assistant
Collection Areas
CRL collects and shares a diverse range of rare and unique materials with researchers.
Demand Purchase Program
To meet scholars’ individual research needs, CRL purchases Doctoral Dissertations, Newspapers, Archival material on request.
Shared Print
Shared print is a movement in which libraries work together on a coordinated, community-wide effort to preserve print collections through collective action.
TRAIL
TRAIL identifies, acquires, catalogs, digitizes, and provides free access to U.S. government technical reports, preserving valuable scientific and technological literature.
Microform Sales
The Center for Research Libraries sells microform copies of current and retrospective newspaper titles to researchers and libraries.
These lists detail what titles are available for purchase:
- Newspapers–Currently Received
- Newspapers–Noncurrent
- CCC Camp Newspapers
Prices for microform copies are at cost for CRL members. Non-members pay an additional handling fee that covers our costs for providing this film. Postage is a separate charge. Please contact Access initiatives or call (773) 955-4545 ext. 267 for a price quote. Please include the title and range of years. Note that it may take several months to receive your copies.
Linda Hall Library Partnership with CRL
The partnership between CRL and the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology (LHL) began in July 2012, with the aim of preserving, expanding, and providing access to historical research collections in the fields of science, technology, and engineering (STE). CRL provides funding to LHL for services that benefit CRL’s membership.
The services provided to CRL libraries include:
- LHL will maintain the designated print collections at its Kansas City facility, ensuring proper security and climate control.
- LHL will continue subscriptions to designated serial holdings titles, in line with LHL’s budget and mutual agreement with CRL.
- Annually, LHL will deliver digital files to CRL, including issue-level holdings information for designated serial titles, to be included in the PAPR database.
- LHL provides document delivery of articles to CRL libraries through the RapidILL service.
- LHL digitizes selected STE historical journal titles not already available through HathiTrust, JSTOR, or the original publishers. On a mutually agreed schedule, CRL will transfer its holdings of serial volumes to LHL for digitization, helping to complete and enhance the designated collections. For more details, see the Collection Management Policy Executive Summary.