Research Libraries Group
Encyclopedia
The Research Libraries Group (RLG) was a U.S.
-based library
consortium
which developed the Eureka
interlibrary search engine, the RedLightGreen
database
of bibliographic
descriptions and ArchiveGrid
, a database containing descriptions of archival
collections. RLG was founded by a group of major research libraries
in 1974, two years after OCLC
, another library consortium, was founded. A major reason for RLG’s establishment was dissatisfaction among research institutions with OCLC’s record keeping.
The founding libraries were the university libraries of Columbia
, Harvard
and Yale
and the New York Public Library
. RLG moved its offices to Stanford University
in 1978 and adopted Stanford Library’s BALLOTS computerized processing system which evolved into the online database, RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network). RLIN was generally only for use by library specialists and in 1993 RLG developed Eureka as a user-friendly interface for use by non-librarians. RLG expanded its membership to other research libraries throughout the U.S. and in 1992 the British Library
became the first non-North American member.
In June 2006, RLG merged with OCLC. Its catalog became part of OCLC's WorldCat
; its current programs joined with OCLC Research to become OCLC Programs and Research;http://www.oclc.org/programsandresearch/ and Eureka databases were migrated to OCLC's FirstSearch service. The office was relocated from Mountain View, California
to San Mateo, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
which developed the Eureka
Eureka (OPAC)
Eureka was the user interface for general users of the Research Library Information Network , a bibliographic resource containing records from libraries that were members of Research Libraries Group . Eureka had the capacity to search among approximately 45 million different titles. Most of the...
interlibrary search engine, the RedLightGreen
RedLightGreen
RedLightGreen was a database of bibliographic descriptions on the Web created by Research Libraries Group . RedLightGreen also allowed users to create citations for works found...
database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
of bibliographic
Bibliography
Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
descriptions and ArchiveGrid
ArchiveGrid
ArchiveGrid is a subscription-only database containing nearly a million descriptions of archival collections from all over the world. Historical documents, personal papers, manuscripts and family histories are described and cataloged by librarians and archivists...
, a database containing descriptions of archival
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
collections. RLG was founded by a group of major research libraries
Research library
A research library is a library which contains an in-depth collection of material on one or several subjects . A research library will generally include primary sources as well as secondary sources...
in 1974, two years after OCLC
OCLC
OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. is "a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world’s information and reducing information costs"...
, another library consortium, was founded. A major reason for RLG’s establishment was dissatisfaction among research institutions with OCLC’s record keeping.
The founding libraries were the university libraries of Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Yale
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and the New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
. RLG moved its offices to Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1978 and adopted Stanford Library’s BALLOTS computerized processing system which evolved into the online database, RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network). RLIN was generally only for use by library specialists and in 1993 RLG developed Eureka as a user-friendly interface for use by non-librarians. RLG expanded its membership to other research libraries throughout the U.S. and in 1992 the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
became the first non-North American member.
In June 2006, RLG merged with OCLC. Its catalog became part of OCLC's WorldCat
WorldCat
WorldCat is a union catalog which itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories which participate in the Online Computer Library Center global cooperative...
; its current programs joined with OCLC Research to become OCLC Programs and Research;http://www.oclc.org/programsandresearch/ and Eureka databases were migrated to OCLC's FirstSearch service. The office was relocated from Mountain View, California
Mountain View, California
-Downtown:Mountain View has a pedestrian-friendly downtown centered on Castro Street. The downtown area consists of the seven blocks of Castro Street from the Downtown Mountain View Station transit center in the north to the intersection with El Camino Real in the south...
to San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
.