Center for Research Libraries

library, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Also known as: Midwest Interlibrary Center

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

The Center for Research Libraries (CRL), formerly the Midwest Interlibrary Center, is located in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1952, it serves as a cooperative storage facility for duplicate and infrequently used materials from research libraries. This initiative arose from the need to manage increasing library space demands. The CRL, along with other institutions like the British Library Lending Division, facilitates the sharing and storage of resources among libraries, ensuring access to a wider range of materials that might otherwise be difficult to obtain.1

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Cooperative acquisition and storage
…the foremost example is the Center for Research Libraries (formerly the Midwest Interlibrary Center) in Chicago, which began in 1952 as a centre for deposit of duplicate and little-used materials from research libraries. With the aid of a special grant, the University of London established a depository library, at Royal…
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…the foremost example is the Center for Research Libraries (formerly the Midwest Interlibrary Center) in Chicago, which began in 1952 as a centre for deposit of duplicate and little-used materials from research libraries. With the aid of a special grant, the University of London established a depository library, at Royal…
Read More