Become an OCLC Research Library Partner
The OCLC Research Library Partnership (RLP) is a multinational community of research libraries, supported by a combination of partnership dues and co-investment from OCLC. We welcome your interest in joining.
How to join the RLP
To become a Partner, complete the Partnership Agreement Form at the link below. You will receive an invoice upon receipt.
If you have any questions about the OCLC Research Library Partnership, please contact Merrilee Proffitt, Senior Manager, RLP (proffitm@oclc.org).
Why joining matters
Partner dues directly support the RLP’s work to assist libraries as they evolve to meet today's challenges. Dues give our staff the resources we need to convene conversations and support projects that lead to prototyping, research papers, webinars, leadership networks, and other outputs.
Partner benefits
The RLP’s work focuses on addressing the pressing needs of research libraries, and that work is shaped and influenced by our Partners. We offer multiple opportunities and formats for staff at your institution to learn, engage, and partner.
- Leadership networks: Within each of our areas of focus, the RLP supports a distinct leadership community, each led by a Senior Program Officer. Each network meets regularly.
- Online learning: The Works in Progress Webinars are live, participatory online learning opportunities that focus on the leading-edge work done at OCLC and our Partner institutions. Our webinars provide a cost-effective way for members to stay up to date on emerging practices. We also host small group discussions on relevant and timely topics.
- Collaborative research: Partners can participate in collaborative research through ad hoc working groups.
- Information sharing: RLP email and discussion lists facilitate sharing and allow subscribers to receive updates about webinars, events, research projects, and more.
- Consultation: RLP staff consult directly with partner institutions, sharing their expertise on resource sharing, metadata, distinctive collections, linked data, research support services, and more.
Who are our Partners?
RLP institutions represent a cross-section of not-for-profit memory institutions with an educational, cultural, or research mission. The RLP includes libraries that support universities and colleges, museum libraries, independent research libraries, and national libraries. Our membership spans four continents.
What does it cost?
Annual partnership dues, which are based on the size of your organization, allow the RLP to support this collaborative work. Our pricing is transparent, and we invite you to consult our dues schedule to determine the rate for your institution.
Partner Representatives
Each RLP institution designates a Partner Representative, usually someone in a leadership role at their institution. In addition to serving as our primary point of contact, the Partner Representative:
- Fosters institutional awareness of RLP initiatives and benefits
- Receives notification of opportunities for staff to serve on committees or working groups and to participate in our leadership networks to further the RLP's collaborative objectives
Please use the Partner Representative Designation Form to change your Partner Representative or to provide updated information about your current Representative.
Making the most of the Partnership
Our staff is here to support your institution in making the most of your participation with the RLP. After completing the Partnership Agreement Form, an RLP staff member will contact your institution to set up the following:
- Organize an orientation to the RLP
- Sign your team members up to appropriate lists so they can be alerted to relevant activities and opportunities
- Invite you to join our leadership networks
- Arrange for your team to learn about SHARES
Stay connected to all the opportunities to engage with the Partnership by signing up for our “Announcement to Partners” email list. This is the best way to stay apprised of our events, research, interest groups, webinars, and more.
Hanging Together
Read our OCLC Research blog — Hanging Together, for more context and behind-the-scenes information on these areas of research
Stay connected
A number of subscription e-mail and discussion lists have been developed for staff at OCLC Research Library Partnership institutions to support continuing conversations about our work, share updates and solicit volunteers for new activities.
View our e-mail and discussion lists
RLP Abstract
Everything you want to know about the Research Library Partnership (RLP) in one easy to read and share document.