Research Libraries UK (RLUK)

Research Libraries UK (RLUK) aims to increase the ability of research libraries to share resources among themselves through its vision that the UK should have the best research library support in the world. It has a stated mission to work with their members and partners – nationally and internationally – to shape and realise the vision of the modern research library.

For 25 years RLUK operated as CURL, a consortium of the top research-led institutions in the UK and Ireland that worked on seeding and bringing forward new ideas, plans, projects, initiatives and services with the aim of providing effective research support for research libraries and information services.

Today, RLUK collaborates to achieve more of its aims, and represents the views of the members to maximise their influence. They work with the research community to promote excellence in support of current research and anticipate future needs while sharing good practice and building the capacity of their staff to promote change. They emphasise the value they place on the richness of UK library collections and work to ensure that researchers can exploit them to the full, providing leadership in all areas where their contribution can gain most value for the community.

They have several groups within their organisation covering strategy as well as collaborations with external groups like SCONUL. The Joint RLUK/SCONUL Scholarly Communications Group is a specific example of a group that speaks directly to the issues followed by the Policy Centre. 

RLUK was one of 14 organisations with a direct stake in effective scholarly communications to endorse Research and the Scholarly communications process: Towards strategic goals for public policy, the statement of principles document RIN published in 2007, which the Policy Centre is supporting.