Libraries

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.

web accessibility
Library Accessibility Group webinar: Revised ADA Title II in the Library
The slides and recording from the webinar on August 27, 2024 are now available.
Explore the Future of Library Collaboration: Shared Print Collection White Paper Now Available
Discover the foundational ideas and strategic vision behind the Big Ten Academic Alliance's Shared Print Collection. This new white paper outlines the progress and collective benefits of transitioning to a distributed, networked archive. Learn how the Shared Print Collection is redefining access, equity, and collaboration for the Big Ten community and beyond.
big ten open books
Big Ten Open Books
Big Ten Open Books connects readers everywhere to fully accessible, trusted books from leading university presses. Established as a new model for open-access publishing focused on equity and inclusion, we invite you to explore our Gender and Sexuality studies collection.
BIG Collection: Resource Access Policy Harmonization Report
The Resource Access Policy Harmonization pilot team is pleased to share their final report. Aspirational in nature, the report includes the new BTAA Resource Sharing Agreement plus Scanning Standards; reaffirms the Principles and Protocols for Sharing Special Collections within the Big Ten; and articulates important next steps for future pilot projects and working group investigations.

Library News

  • Indiana Librarian, Longtime CIC Leader, Receives Major Award

    Apr 21, 2011, 16:44 PM

    A longtime leader in the CIC's efforts to keep government documents in the hands of the public has received a major honor for her work. Lou Malcomb, head of the Government Information and Kent Cooper Services Department in IU's Herman...

    Full Story

  • CLI Conference Will Focus on Print Storage Strategies

    Apr 13, 2011, 11:46 AM

    The challenge of stewarding legacy print collections in the digitization era will be the center of discussion at the upcoming CIC Center for Library Initiatives Conference "What's In Store? Collaborative Strategies for Managing CIC Print Collections." The conference will take...

    Full Story

  • Six CIC Libraries To Begin Pilot Program with Corsotial Borrowing Software Relais D2D

    Mar 31, 2011, 22:01 PM

    Six CIC libraries have agreed to proceed with a pilot of Relais D2D, a next-generation software platform for consortial borrowing. The University of Chicago; University of Iowa; University of Michigan; Michigan State University; Northwestern University; and Pennsylvania State University will implement Relais...

    Full Story

  • CIC-Google Scanning Continues After Google Lawsuit Settlement Rejected

    Mar 22, 2011, 22:43 PM

    Judge Denny Chin of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a long-awaited ruling Tuesday afternoon, rejecting a proposed settlement between Google and the plaintiffs (publishers and authors) in the Google Books lawsuit. It is the...

    Full Story

  • Center for Library Initiatives February eNews Now Available

    Feb 14, 2011, 14:52 PM

    The latest edition of the bi-annual Center for Library Initiatives eNewsletter is now available online. This issue features articles on CLI director Mark Sandler's reflections on shared storage; a photo gallery from the CLI's reception at the ALA conference in Washington,...

    Full Story

  • CIC/Google Celebrate Major Milestone: A Million Digitized Volumes

    Feb 4, 2011, 12:07 PM

    The CIC is proud to announce an important milestone: Google has digitized and returned a million volumes from CIC member libraries. The milestone was noted with a Feb. 4 article posted on the "Inside Google Books" blog, authored by Kim...

    Full Story

  • CIC's Armstrong to Speak at Wiley-Blackwell Executive Seminar

    Dec 9, 2010, 07:00 AM

    Kim Armstrong, deputy director of the CIC Center for Library Initiatives, will be a featured speaker at the Wiley-Blackwell Executive Seminar: New Business Models and Opportunities in Scholarly Publishing on Friday, Dec. 10, at the National Press Club in Washington....

    Full Story

  • Northwestern Student Newspaper Highlights Digitization at NU

    Nov 3, 2010, 15:59 PM

    Northwestern University's student newspaper featured the University Library's participation in the Google digitization project in its article "Library books to go digital" published Nov. 1. The Daily Northwestern story mentions the CIC's partnership with Google and what it means for...

    Full Story

  • Vision Continues to Gain Momentum as HathiTrust Grows

    Oct 26, 2010, 08:00 AM

    Another university has joined forces with HathiTrust, and the shared digital repository that was co-founded by the CIC continues to gain momentum. The Utah Statesman, the student newspaper of Utah State University, reported in its Friday, Oct. 21 editions that...

    Full Story

  • Chronicle Blog Post Hails HathiTrust for Research, Mentions CIC

    Oct 15, 2010, 15:52 PM

    A recent blog post (10/12) on the Chronicle of Higher Education website details one faculty researcher's experience using the HathiTrust, the shared digital repository co-founded by the CIC members, as well as the University of Michigan's Mirlyn library catalog. Blogger...

    Full Story