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.

Academy Owned Scholarly Publishing Landscape Report
Launched in the fall of 2022, the Big Ten Academic Alliance [BTAA] landscape assessment of academy owned scholarly publishing activities explores the shared challenges and opportunities facing publishing programs and operations within the Big Ten institutions.
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

  • CIC Staff Serve as Panelists at Major Conferences

    Jun 30, 2010, 10:43 AM

    Two CIC staff members recently participated in panels at major conferences. Mark Sandler, director of the CIC's Center for Library Initiatives (CLI), was on a distinguished panel of experts discussing the proposed Google Book Search settlement on June 26 at...

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  • June Center For Library Initiatives eNewsletter Launches

    Jun 25, 2010, 12:38 PM

    The June edition of the bi-annual Center for Library Initiatives eNewsletter is now available online. This issue features an article on two members of the same family who work on the Google digitization project at two different campuses; a photo...

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  • CIC Professionals Speak at Recent Conferences

    May 25, 2010, 16:23 PM

    Mark Sandler, Director of the CIC Center for Library Initiatives, and Amber Marks, Assistant Director for Course Sharing and Professional Development, were featured guest speakers at two recent conferences. Sandler was invited to speak at the recent 2010 Medical Library...

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  • Follow The CLI Conference on Twitter

    May 12, 2010, 09:35 AM

    The Center for Library Initiatives 2010 Conference, "Cranking Up the Volume: New Strategies for Broadcasting University Scholarship" gets underway on Thursday, May 13 on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Registration is closed, but anyone can follow...

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  • CLI eNews Highlights Government Documents Project, eBooks Purchase and More

    Jan 12, 2010, 14:39 PM

    The January 2010 edition of the Center for Library Initiatives eNewsletter is now available online. The CLI's biannual eNewsletter provides news and insight into the collaborative activities of the CIC libraries, from purchasing to mass digitization. This edition includes an...

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  • Library Journal reports on Library Directors' Statement On Scientific American

    Jan 7, 2010, 10:29 AM

    The 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...

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  • Library Directors Respond to Pricing Proposal for Scientific American

    Jan 4, 2010, 16:50 PM

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  • CIC's Armstrong Presents at EDUCAUSE 2009

    Nov 13, 2009, 12:36 PM

    Kimberly 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...

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  • Article examines CIC, University of Chicago digitization efforts

    Nov 6, 2009, 11:14 AM

    The 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...

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  • Article on mass digitization efforts at Northwestern cites CIC

    Oct 28, 2009, 16:28 PM

    The 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...

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