Network of Illinois Learning Resources in Community Colleges

The Network of Illinois Learning Resources in Community Colleges (NILRC) is a cooperative organization that serves community college learning resource centers across Illinois. According to its official website, NILRC is one of the oldest community college learning resources cooperatives in the nation, having begun as a grassroots organization formed to meet the needs of community college learning resource centers. Over time it has become a leader in the development and use of a variety of instructional resources and technologies. The cooperative is governed by a board of directors representing each member institution. Board members come from a variety of backgrounds and responsibilities on their campuses, ranging from LRC deans to directors of educational technologies. This diversity is intended to enhance the organization, nurture its projects, and facilitate the exchange of ideas and resources. Institutions participate either as "full" members, which have voting rights in the corporation and attend board meetings and actively serve on standing committees, or as "associate" members. NILRC supports itself through three main revenue sources: membership dues, surcharge fees on group purchases, and investment income. A flat rate surcharge is placed on all group purchases coordinated by the corporate office, and only those members who participate in given projects pay a surcharge. Investments provide a small amount of operating revenue. NILRC has a legacy of innovation in educational technology. It was one of the first organizations to foster satellite teleconferencing and satellite delivery of video resource materials. In the early 1980s it developed a computerized online circulation control and records management system known as the Comprehensive Automated Learning Resources System (CALS), which was a forerunner of today's commercial online circulation systems and OPACS. Today NILRC coordinates group purchasing and services for its members, including offerings from third-party vendors such as SmarterServices (SmarterMeasure assessment) and Cengage Learning's Gale (research resources including Literature Resource Center, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Academic OneFile, World History in Context, Business Insights, and National Geographic Magazine). The organization also runs professional development webinars, meetups, an annual conference, and mailing lists for its members.

The Network of Illinois Learning Resources in Community Colleges (NILRC) is one of the oldest community college learning resources cooperatives in the United States. It began as a grassroots organization formed to meet the needs of community college learning resource centers, according to its official history page. Over the decades it has become a leader in the development and use of a variety of instructional resources and technologies. NILRC has a legacy of innovation in educational technology. It was one of the first organizations to foster satellite teleconferencing and satellite delivery of video resource materials. In the early 1980s, it developed a computerized online circulation control and records management system known as the Comprehensive Automated Learning Resources System (CALS). According to NILRC, CALS was the forerunner of today's commercial online circulation systems and OPACS. The cooperative is governed by a board of directors representing each member institution. Board members have a variety of backgrounds and responsibilities on their campuses, ranging from LRC deans to directors of educational technologies. This diversity is intended to enhance the organization, nurture its projects, and facilitate the exchange of ideas and resources. Institutions are either "full" or "associate" members. Full members have voting rights in the corporation, attend board meetings, and actively serve on standing committees. Financially, the organization supports itself in three ways: membership dues, surcharge fees on group purchases, and investment income provide the operational budget income. A flat rate surcharge is placed on all group purchases coordinated by the corporate office, and only those members who participate in given projects pay a surcharge. Investments provide a small amount of operating revenue. In the 2020s, NILRC continues to coordinate group purchasing and services for its members. Its website lists offerings from third-party vendors such as SmarterServices, a full-spectrum assessment services company whose SmarterMeasure product is available through NILRC, and Cengage Learning's Gale, a provider of research resources to libraries and businesses for more than 60 years. Gale products available through NILRC include Literature Resource Center, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Academic OneFile, World History in Context, Business Insights, and National Geographic Magazine. NILRC also runs professional development webinars, monthly meetups, an annual conference, and mailing lists for its members.

• NILRC founded as a grassroots organization to meet the needs of community college learning resource centers.

• NILRC became one of the first organizations to foster satellite teleconferencing and satellite delivery of video resource materials.

• In the early 1980s, NILRC developed the Comprehensive Automated Learning Resources System (CALS), a computerized online circulation control and records management system.

• NILRC continues to operate as a cooperative offering group purchasing, professional development webinars, meetups, and an annual conference.

A member-governed cooperative that pools the purchasing power and expertise of Illinois community college learning resource centers to share instructional resources, technology, and professional development.

• SmarterMeasure (via SmarterServices)

  A full-spectrum assessment service available to NILRC members through group purchasing.

• Gale research resources (via Cengage Learning)

  Includes Literature Resource Center, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Academic OneFile, World History in Context, Business Insights, and National Geographic Magazine.

1. 1NILRC official websitenilrc.org
2. 2History — NILRCnilrc.org
3. 3Smarter Services — NILRCnilrc.org
4. 4Cengage Learning Services/ Gale — NILRCnilrc.org
5. 5Network of Illinois Learning Resources in Community Colleges — Wikidatawikidata.org