The Center for Research Libraries (CRL) is pleased to formally announce the creation of nine new Global Collections Committees (GCCs). In a meeting last November, the CRL Board of Directors approved the implementation of a new committee structure, culminating over two years of planning. Now ready to launch, the GCCs continue our commitment to international and area studies as significant emphases in our ongoing collection development. The new Global Collections Committees ensure that international collections have a voice in CRL institutional planning and budgeting. “Getting global collections to work on a good footing is a top priority for me and a big part of what drew me to CRL,” says CRL President Jacob Nadal. “I’m very excited about this prospect—my experiences of the impact that comes from building global collections and advancing global access to information have shaped who I am personally and professionally. Global collections matter to members; bringing them into CRL's core functions will help us sustain and steward them in the most effective way possible.”
Working in tandem with CRL’s Collections and Services Policy Committee (CSPC), the GCCs will provide integrated pathways for area studies experts across the membership to advise on CRL’s collection strategies and expand opportunities for member participation in CRL collection work. "Since CRL's inception, our members’ support and expertise have built a collaborative collection of unparalleled value. This achievement reflects the dedication of a community united by shared values,” adds Kevin Merriman, CRL’s Director of Global Collections. “Now, as we move forward with a renewed structure, we are poised to expand our capacity, streamline our efforts, amplify our influence, and uphold the values that unite us. We look forward to embracing this new chapter with the same sense of community, innovation, and dedication that has always defined us.”
This new organizational structure is coupled to CRL’s new Mission, Vision, and Values statements, developed by the CRL Board in tandem with its revision of CRL’s bylaws, to ensure there is a resilient support system in place for global collections, both in strategic planning and advocacy as well as in providing budgetary and operational resources. Since this is a new committee structure, we are all learning together and we encourage new members with backgrounds in area studies to explore these new communities. The first year of activity will focus on reviewing and developing our shared global collections in order to gain a better understanding of what is collected by CRL members, and what CRL needs to contribute to the system.
For more information, please see descriptions of the current committees, as well as a calendar of activities, on our Global Collections Committees page. Questions can be directed to Kevin Merriman (kmerriman@crl.edu). Those interested in participating can submit their names via this form.