Research Library Collaboration in Colorado – The Birth and Early Evolution of CARL

Abstract The Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries (CARL) was a pioneering library consortium that evolved from a small informal group of research library directors known as the “Taskforce for Interlibrary Cooperation” in the early 1970s. Early projects included shared acquisitions funding, a union list of serials, and a shared public access catalog. Drawing upon published sources, unpublished primary sources, archival records and personal interviews with early participants, this article provides an account of the key individuals of the organization, the technological innovations of CARL, and its legacy within the library community.