As previously reported, the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) Board of Directors has been focused on updating organizational governance. Last fall the Board approved new Mission and Vision Statements for CRL and at its recent meeting adopted six organizational values: Global, Stewardship, Community, Access, Integrity, and Sustainability.
“Through formalizing its Mission, Vision, and Values, the Board has recommitted to what CRL stands for and the work it does on behalf of its members,” says John Culshaw, CRL Board Member and Governance Task Force chair. "The task of formulating these guiding principles for CRL has been undertaken in tandem with, and carefully informed by, the ongoing Bylaws revision process.”
Voting members will have the opportunity to weigh in on the revised Bylaws during a virtual Town Hall meeting on March 5 before they are presented for a vote at the Annual Meeting in May.
Our Values
At the Center for Research Libraries, in our individual work as well as in our collaborations with our members, we are guided by these values.
- Global – We emphasize the importance of international collaboration, fostering work and partnerships that transcend borders and barriers to advance shared goals in service to our mission.
- Stewardship – We affirm our responsibility in the collective effort to preserve and share the documentary record and cultural heritage, upholding cooperation in this work as essential to the universal human right to participate in cultural life and share knowledge.
- Community – We are committed to fostering community and facilitating opportunities for learning and growth across disciplines, geographies, languages, and professions.
- Access – We strive to improve access to information across the knowledge ecosystem.
- Integrity – We uphold principles of transparency, consistency, and honesty in all our work, fostering an environment grounded in ethical collaboration.
- Sustainability – We are dedicated to cultivating practices and partnerships that ensure the sustainable stewardship of collections, services, and community resources.
Adopted February 13, 2025