CRL supports libraries' efforts to provide affordable, persistent access to traditional and digital resources. This support accords with CRL’s mission to ensure the availability of the knowledge resources vital to research and learning in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences.

In this role CRL gathers and shares information about the archiving of print and digital resources of interest to its community.  CRL research, analysis, and reports are designed to help research libraries make informed decisions, and optimize returns, on their investment in traditional and digital collections. 

CRL efforts in this arena have received major support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation,  the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Science Foundation.