
Libraries
The Libraries of the Big Ten Academic Alliance are aligned in the vision of uniting our separate collections into one collection, shared and fully networked: the BIG Collection. By this phrase we mean a holistic and comprehensive understanding of what a library "collection" is: not simply the things we hold, but our services; our people; our expertise; our technology; and our infrastructure.
In advancing this future of interdependence and excellence, we are guided by our North Star in everything that we do:
In order to advance a just, trustworthy, scalable & sustainable open knowledge ecosystem, make open, more equitable scholarship our lead purpose.
On these pages, you'll find more about the services, programs, and community that are advancing this vision in a principles-centered, mission-driven, values-aligned way.

ADA Title II & Libraries
Catch the webinar replay + slides from our August 27 event. Now posted on our Accessibility page.

Big Ten Open Books
A new model for open-access publishing—free, trusted titles from Big Ten university presses..

Shared Print White Paper
Explore the vision for a collaborative, distributed archive across Big Ten libraries.
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Library Journal reports on Library Directors' Statement On Scientific American
Jan 7, 2010, 10:29 by SystemThe Library Journal reported Jan. 6 on the CIC Library Directors' recent statement regarding Nature Publishing Group’s proposed site-license pricing for the popular title Scientific American. In an article entitled "More Dismay About Scientific American: CIC Libraries Reject New Site...Full story -
Library Directors Respond to Pricing Proposal for Scientific American
Jan 4, 2010, 16:50 by SystemNormal.dotm 0 0 1 252 1438 LWB Communications 11 2 1765 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} The Library Directors...Full story -
CIC's Armstrong Presents at EDUCAUSE 2009
Nov 13, 2009, 12:36 by SystemKimberly Armstrong, assistant director of the CIC’s Center for Library Initiatives, delivered a talk at the 2009 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference in Denver on Nov. 4. Armstrong’s presentation focused on how collaboration may help solve “the scholarly communication problem." Scholars and...Full story -
Article examines CIC, University of Chicago digitization efforts
Nov 6, 2009, 11:14 by SystemThe Nov. 6 edition of the Chicago Maroon examines the University of Chicago's participation in the CIC's mass digitization partnership with the Google Book Search Project. "Scanning and digitizing one book costs $60. Scanning and digitizing the University’s 7.7 million printed...Full story -
Article on mass digitization efforts at Northwestern cites CIC
Oct 28, 2009, 16:28 by SystemThe Daily Northwestern, the campus student newspaper, featured mass digitization efforts at the Northwestern University library in its Oct. 28 issue. The article, "Materials keep going digital at library," highlights the CIC's agreement with Google Book Search to digitize up...Full story