Regional university library in West Virginia brings a student-centered mission and growing digital collections agenda to a consortium of 82 academic and research libraries

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 9, 2026 | Drexel Hill, PA and Fairmont, WV

The Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation (PALCI) and the Ruth Ann Musick Library at Fairmont State University today announced that Fairmont State has joined the PALCI consortium as its 82nd member institution, with membership effective July 1, 2026. The PALCI Board of Directors formally approved the membership on April 30, following a review by the PALCI Membership Committee and a comment period open to all PALCI voting representatives.

Fairmont State University is a public regional comprehensive university located in Fairmont, West Virginia, serving approximately 3,600 students across undergraduate and graduate programs. The Ruth Ann Musick Library is a central hub of campus life, housing the university’s LEAD Center for tutoring and academic support, and is the origin point for many campus-wide initiatives rooted in the library’s commitment to holistic student support. The library is also engaged in a multi-phase modernization project that will reshape its physical spaces and expand its capacity to support research, collaboration, and community engagement.

By joining PALCI, the Ruth Ann Musick Library will expand access to information resources for its students and faculty through EZBorrow, PALCI’s widely used consortial interlibrary loan service, and gain access to collaborative group licensing programs, professional development opportunities, and shared open infrastructure initiatives. The library has identified particular interest in PALCI’s Hyku repository services, which align with ongoing and planned digitization work across the institution.

“We see PALCI membership as a natural extension of our commitment to expanding access and building meaningful partnerships,” said Jacki Sherman, Fairmont State University’s Director of Academic Library Services. “Our library has always found ways to do more for our community by working together with others, and we look forward to bringing that same spirit to a broader regional network. PALCI offers resources and collaborative opportunities that will directly benefit our students and faculty while giving us the chance to contribute our own perspectives and strengths to the consortium.”

Support for membership in PALCI extended beyond the library to others on campus. “Joining the consortium will result in both cost savings and increased access to resources that are vital for academic success. We are confident that joining PALCI will also raise the profile of our academic library, positioning our library science professionals as part of a progressive, forward-thinking network that is shaping the future of scholarly communication,” said Allen J. Bedford, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Fairmont State University.

Fairmont State is a founding member of the West Virginia Downloadable Entertainment Library Initiative (WVDELI) and brings an established orientation toward consortial collaboration to its PALCI membership. The library views participation in PALCI as complementary to its existing partnerships, expanding the scope of strategic collaboration available to West Virginia academic libraries within a multistate network.

“The Ruth Ann Musick Library exemplifies what PALCI membership looks like when it is genuinely embedded in institutional mission,” said Jill Morris, Executive Director of PALCI. “Their deep commitment to student access and community engagement, combined with their forward-looking approach to collections and technology, makes them a strong and welcome addition to the partnership. We look forward to learning from them and growing together.”

With the addition of Fairmont State University, PALCI continues to strengthen its presence in West Virginia and its capacity to serve diverse academic communities across the region.

About Fairmont State University
Fairmont State University is A Great Place to Learn, to Work and to Call Home. The 120-acre main campus sits on a hillside in Fairmont, West Virginia, the county seat of Marion County. The University turns opportunity, passion and hard work into excellence in a vibrant, close-knit campus community. Students enjoy the opportunities offered by a comprehensive state university combined with the personal attention and campus atmosphere expected from a small, private school.

Learn more about Fairmont State University by visiting www.fairmontstate.edu.

About PALCI
The Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation (PALCI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) consortium of 82 academic and research libraries in Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. Together, PALCI members serve more than 800,000 students, faculty, and staff in five states by advancing cost-effective and sustainable access to information resources and services. Known for its applied innovation, high-impact group negotiations, and the widely used EZBorrow consortial interlibrary loan service, PALCI supports collaboration through shared collections programs, resource sharing services, and pioneering standards-based approaches to library technology. Founded in 1996 as the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc., PALCI continues to foster collective solutions that strengthen libraries and the communities they serve. See the full list of PALCI member libraries at https://palci.org/about/members/member-list

 

Media Contact:
Jill Morris
Executive Director, PALCI
support@palci.org
https://palci.org