Research Libraries Group Visits SUL

Pamela McLaughlin

Constance Malpas, member services officer with the Research Libraries Group (RLG) visited Syracuse University Library on Thursday, February 2nd.  The purpose of her visit was to “jointly assess the value proposition of renewed SU / RLG affiliation,” since the library discontinued its RLG institutional membership in 2003.  Constance described RLG as a non-profit collaborative of international research repositories that provides a suite of member-developed tools to support resource discovery and use.  In addition to a number of individual and group meetings, Constance gave a public presentation in which she summarized RLG’s development over the past couple of years and provided information for SUL to consider as we evaluate whether to rejoin RLG.  She explained that RLG’s mission has been updated to focus more on users:

• RLG supports researchers and learners worldwide by expanding access to research materials held in libraries, archives, and museums.

• RLG works with and for its member organizations, enhancing their ability to provide research resources.

• RLG designs and delivers innovative information delivery services, organizes collaborative programs, and takes an active role in creating and promoting relevant standards and practices.

She described current RLG activities and provided examples of RLG services or collaborative partnerships that may be of particular interest to Syracuse, such as RedLightGreen, the web interface to the RLG Union Catalog, digital resources in the Cultural Materials Initiative and Trove.net, resource sharing and on-site access for SU faculty and students at RLG member libraries (the SHARES program), and much more. 

Click here for Constance’s PowerPoint presentation.

We will keep you informed as to the decision regarding SUL rejoining RLG.