The New York Public Library and the libraries of Columbia University and New York University—three renowned research institutions all on the island of Manhattan—have launched an initiative to expand collections and better serve their users.
The collaboration, dubbed the Manhattan Research Library Initiative, or MaRLI, will help the institutions increase access to research collections, increase use of specialized collections, and stretch collection dollars for covering research resources.
The institutions will coordinate their research collecting, eliminating overlap of specialized materials and identifying opportunities for shared collecting. They will be able to do so by making their collections mutually available to researchers.
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The three world class research institutions already participate in many resource-sharing library networks, notably the SHARES international network of research libraries. The New York Public Library has long participated in the IDS Project, a cooperative within New York State whose members include public and private academic libraries and the New York State Library. Columbia participates in Borrow Direct, a collaboration among the Ivy League universities and MIT. NYU shares research collections and services with The New School and Cooper Union through the Research Library Association of South Manhattan. There are many other examples; the establishment of MaRLI thus builds on a strong platform of inter-institutional collaboration. In future, MaRLI may include delivery of materials among the three libraries. For now, users will check out materials at each site.
Direct to MaRLi (LibGuide Site)
Become a MaRLi Member (Application Form)
Hat Tip and Thanks; Jill O’Neill
About Gary Price
