Posted June 17, 2005.

Illinois Academic Library Organizations Unite

Three consortia serving academic libraries in Illinois have merged to form a new organization under the direction of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Officially launching July 1, the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois will continue the services provided by the Illinois Cooperative Collection Management Program, the Illinois Digital Academic Library, and the Illinois Library Computer Systems Organization.

Currently with 162 institutional members, CARLI will support the ILLINET integrated online library system, subsidized and brokered electronic resources, a digital object management system, a federated search engine, and a link resolver. Other plans include grants for shared collection management, continuing education, and advocacy for the state’s academic libraries.

The UIUC Office for Planning and Budgeting serves as the fiscal and contractual agent for the new consortium. CARLI program activities will be run by a board of directors, which is currently chaired by Mary Munroe of Northern Illinois University. The board will conduct a search for an executive director this summer.

Posted June 17, 2005.