This issue of FOCUS on Global Resources reports on the recent activities of CIFNAL: Collectif international des fonds documentaires en langue française, or the Collaborative initiative for French language collections. CIFNAL is one of the newest collaborative partnerships of the Global Resources Network, formally constituted in 2007. This issue of FOCUS on Global Resources reports on the recent activities of CIFNAL: Collectif international des fonds documentaires en langue française, or the Collaborative initiative for French language collections. CIFNAL is one of the newest collaborative partnerships of the Global Resources Network, formally constituted in 2007.

CIFNAL is engaged in important work on behalf of its members and CRL, providing and enhancing access to critical source materials in the French language, including contemporary scholarly journals (via CAIRN, a partnership of the Bibliothèque nationale de France and various publishing houses in France and Belgium), popular texts from the streets of 19th century France (in collaboration with ARTFL and the Médiathèque de l’agglomération troyenne), and manuscripts and documents from the greatest thinkers and writers of the Enlightenment.

These projects are described by CIFNAL Chair Dominique Coulombe, Sarah Sussman, and Susanne Roberts in the first three articles. More importantly, perhaps, is the work of CIFNAL in building collaborative relationships with francophone institutions outside of North America and France. Consistent with the GRN's principles of fair and equitable exchange of knowledge and capacity-building in partner institutions, CIFNAL has embarked on numerous partnerships with organizations in Algeria, Morocco, Burundi, and the French-speaking Caribbean.

The final two articles in this issue spotlight the challenges—and opportunities—of collaboration with our network of partners overseas. The Center for Research Libraries has long supported acquisition of francophone research resources, with intensive collections in French literature, history, and social sciences. CRL and the Global Resources Network's partnership with CIFNAL promises to extend those collection activities into the 21st century.