Digital Collections Introduction

Digital Collections at CRL

At CRL, our digital collections grow from a digitization program guided by three complementary pillars: access, preservation, and collection building.

Access. Responding to member requests, whenever copyright allows, CRL digitizes print and microform materials from its collections and provides access to digital copies within ten business days. This rapid-response service ensures that researchers can quickly consult rare or unique materials, regardless of their location. Learn more about digital delivery services

Preservation. Recognizing the fragility of many print and microform items, CRL proactively digitizes materials at risk of deterioration. The original items are stabilized and stored in acid-free enclosures to extend their physical life, while the digital surrogates ensure continued access without further wear on the originals. Learn more about CRL preservation initiatives

Collection Building. Collaborating with member libraries, CRL builds enduring digital collections that serve the evolving needs of scholars and researchers. These efforts are guided by strategic partnerships and the collective expertise of advisory committees, ensuring that digitization supports research priorities across disciplines and institutions. Learn more about CRL advisory committees

Our digital collections include documents, newspapers, books, and journals scanned in response to scholars’ requests or selected proactively to support emerging areas of research. CRL also curates thematic groups of rare and distinctive materials for digitization, anticipating the needs of future scholarship.

Digitized titles are accessible through the CRL Digital Collections, providing researchers with open and reliable access to primary source materials that inform global inquiry.