Collections and Services Available

CRL's collection is available through our Interlibrary Loan Services or at our office's in Chicago. CRL loans to all libraries included in an institution’s subscription. For information on what libraries are included in a membership, please contact Access Initiatives [2]. 

Demand Purchase Program

CRL's Demand Purchase Program [3] acquires new material in response to loan requests for materials not held in CRL's collection. A member's ILL department initiates requests for demand purchases. The ILL request should include a note on the ILL request, “Please purchase if not owned.” As funds permit, CRL will acquire $2,000 per patron per year of archival materials, newspapers, or International doctoral dissertations. CRL may turn down demand pruchase requests for held materials available at member libraries.

Digital Delivery

CRL will fill ILL requests through digitalization when the material is not in copyright and the request can be completed within a reasonable amount of time. Larger requests will be considered on a case by case basis as we have capacity. CRL provides access to scanned material on our DDS platform. When a request is completed, a DDS link is sent to the requesting library. All DDS content is fully searchable and can be downloaded as a PDF. We link to DDS material through the online catalog and creates records for this content in WorldCat. See also digitalization services [4] for more information.

We prefer to deliver fragile items digitally where copyright allows.  If a request includes a significant amount of fragile material, CRL will notify the requesting institution that we will deliver the material through our DDS platform. An estimated completion date will also be provided.

Dissertations

CRL loans from its extensive collection of International doctoral dissertations either as hard copy (print, microfilm and fiche) or digital delivery. CRL will attempt to acquire new international (outside the U.S. and Canada) dissertations through our demand purchase program. Acquiring new dissertations, including those distributed by EThOS in the UK, may require a signed copyright declaration.

Linda Hall Library

Through a partnership [5], CRL members have access to articles from current and back issues of over 50,000 titles in the combined science, technology, and engineering (STE) print serials from CRL and Linda Hall Library. There is no cost to CRL libraries for use of this service through the RapidILL service (requests sent directly to Linda Hall Library will be charged the regular ILL fee).

Loan period

CRL loans to CRL libraries for six months with unlimited renewals. However, all material may be recalled after two weeks of use if requested by a patron from another member library. The borrower is obligated to return material immediately upon recall.

Reading Room

Students, faculty, and other researchers may use materials in the CRL Reading Room [6]. Please contact the Access Services Department [7] at least three business days in advance of the patron’s visit to ensure that needed materials and space are available.

Learn More [6]

Submitting Requests

All material held by CRL is eligible for loan or digital delivery. Voting member libraries are allowed an unlimited number of requests, requests of any amount of material, and ulmited loan periods.

Learn More [8]