FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2024
DREXEL HILL, PA — The Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation (PALCI) is delighted to announce that the Libraries at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY, an institution long-heralded for its legacy in change-making, especially in scientific and technological advancements, has joined the consortium’s membership effective July 1. RPI became the 78th member of PALCI, alongside Le Moyne College, another new PALCI member library from the upstate New York region.
With this membership, students, faculty, and researchers at RPI will gain access to and benefit from PALCI’s extensive resource-sharing network, which includes academic and research libraries in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Through PALCI’s shared catalog and EZBorrow service, patrons of the Libraries at RPI will have access to a vast collection of over 46 million items shared by member institutions. PALCI’s strategic licensing programs will offer significant savings on electronic library materials, including eBooks, eJournals, and primary sources, through innovative licensing terms negotiated collaboratively with publishers and vendors.
Library Director Andrew White emphasized the value of joining PALCI, stating, “RPI Libraries have a long history of supporting consortial-scale activities in resource sharing, community engagement, and technological innovation. Our library staff have a strong track record of committee and professional development contributions in local, regional, and national arenas. We view PALCI membership as a strategic opportunity to both broaden our collaborations with institutional peers and our partnerships for shareable resources and accessible information technologies.”
A hallmark of PALCI membership is the integration into the renowned EZBorrow resource sharing platform, powered by the open-source ReShare platform – a system that the RPI Library staff and user community is already familiar with. Now, with service through PALCI, this state-of-the-art system streamlines interlibrary loan services, providing efficient access to physical materials, such as books, from more than 60 PALCI member libraries across five states.
White added, “RPI’s regional engagement and external institutional partnerships are a tenet of our campus administration and a pillar of the President’s strategic plan. We’re excited to extend our collaboration capabilities and partnerships through PALCI.”
Jill Morris, PALCI Executive Director, expressed her excitement, saying, “We are thrilled to welcome RPI to the PALCI partnership. Our consortium staff and fellow member libraries are eager to collaborate with the Libraries at RPI. We are confident that RPI’s unique collections, expertise, and extensive partnership experience will significantly contribute to the shared success and continued innovation of our vibrant and diverse consortium.”
To learn more about how PALCI supports academic and research libraries, visit https://palci.org/about/members/.
For more information, please contact: [Your Contact Information]
About RPI
Founded in 1824 for the application of science to the common purposes of life, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the first technological research university in the United States. Today, it is recognized as a premier university, noted for its robust and holistic learning community that connects creativity with science and technology. RPI is dedicated to inventing for the future, from shaping the scientists, engineers, technologists, architects, and entrepreneurs who will define what’s next for humanity, to research that bridges disciplines to solve the world’s toughest problems. The mission of the Rensselaer Libraries is to support Rensselaer’s educational and research endeavors. As part of the Division of the Chief Information Officer, the Libraries actively cooperate with other Division units to provide enabling information strategies, resources, services, and technology to the diverse Rensselaer community.
About PALCI
The Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation (PALCI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization that originated in 1996 and was incorporated in 1998 as the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc. Today, PALCI’s membership has grown to include more than 70 academic and research libraries in Pennsylvania and contiguous states. PALCI’s mission is to enable cost-effective and sustainable access to information resources and services. PALCI is known for its highly-regarded EZBorrow consortial interlibrary loan (ILL) service. PALCI members collaborate to serve over 800,000 students, faculty, and staff, focusing on collaborative collections programs, resource sharing services, and innovative technology projects and approaches to library services.
For further information, please contact:
Andrew White
Library Director, RPI Libraries
Email: whitea9@rpi.edu
Jill Morris
Executive Director, PALCI
Email: jill@palci.org
Website: https://palci.org
