About

About CARLI

Supporting Illinois’ Academic Libraries for more than 40 Years

CARLI is a membership organization for libraries, providing services at scale to Illinois academic and research libraries. CARLI provides value to members libraries and Illinois higher education by freeing dollars within each member organization—including each University of Illinois campus—to do mission-critical work. The University of Illinois System supports CARLI and reaffirms the central role that education and higher education can play in promoting the public good for the entire State of Illinois and beyond.

Find out more about CARLI!

CARLI Office

The CARLI Office is located at 100 Trade Centre Drive, Suite 303, Champaign, IL 61820-7233. The CARLI Office is staffed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, Central Time, Monday through Friday, except on national and University of Illinois holidays.

View the CARLI Office Contact Information and Staff Directory

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History & Governance

Illinois academic libraries have acted consortially for over 40 years. Since CARLI began operations in 2005, this collaboration has grown increasingly effective and coordinated, establishing CARLI as one of the premiere library consortia in the United States. Our 130 member libraries–individually and collectively–are committed to meeting the information and research needs of their 800,000 students, faculty and staff.

CARLI products, services, and programs include the I-Share integrated library system; E-resources licensing and subsidized core resources;digital collections; training and continuing education; statewide physical delivery; network, system, and database administration; and help desk/online problem reporting and resolution. 

Read about CARLI History and Governance

Mission & Values

The Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois empowers Illinois academic and research libraries to create and sustain a rich, supportive, and diverse knowledge environment that furthers excellence in teaching, learning, research, and innovation in order to serve students, faculty, and researchers. As a collective, CARLI adds value to member libraries of all types, sizes, and missions by sharing costs, collections, expertise, programs, products, and services.

Read the Statement of Values

Strategic Priorities

The CARLI 2022 STRATEGIC PLAN outlines our organization’s aspirations and defines our understanding of the consortium’s focus. The strategic plan outlines our organization’s aspirations and defines our understanding of the consortium’s focus as we move towards the fifteenth anniversary of CARLI on July 1, 2020, and the fortieth anniversary of resource sharing among Illinois academic libraries in 2020. During this time, CARLI will be focused on providing excellence and leadership, and on providing services at scale when value can be achieved. 

View CARLI's Strategic Priorities