In the early 1970s, three US universities and the New York Public Library created a new kind of practical resource-sharing consortium, which incorporated in 1975 as The Research Libraries Group, Inc. (RLG), until its merger with the OCLC library consortium in 2006.
RLG grew to include virtually every type of cultural memory institution—universities, national libraries, archives, historical societies, museums—all with remarkable collections for research and learning.
RLG’s main offices were in Mountain View, California, approximately seven miles south of Stanford University (where their data center was housed). There was also a branch office in New York City.
A board of directors, elected by the RLG members’ designated representatives, was responsible for the strategic management of the activities, property, and affairs of the corporation. The president was CEO and a voting member of the RLG board.
RLG staff, numbering approximately 85, were organized into the following departments:
—President’s Office
—Member Programs & Services
—Product Management
—Systems
—Marketing & Sales
—Finance & Administration