About the Institute

CLIR began as the Council on Library Resources in 1956 and has expanded its programmatic reach in each of the past seven decades. Rooted in the worlds of higher education, research, and cultural heritage, CLIR builds networks and partnerships to advance the preservation of, and connections to, the human record. Programs have focused on expanding the roles of academics beyond the classroom, merging library and information technology, and developing leadership. Internationally, CLIR has focused increasingly on the global climate crisis and its impact on tangible and intangible heritage of groups and societies. CLIR engages people in various ways including institutes, symposia, leading program and changes in collections preservation and digital realms. CLIR is well known for its inclusion and attention to diversity and global relevance.

Emerging from two previous teaching and learning institutes, CLIR Aotearoa aims to enhance collaboration between different types of institutions outside of North America. The name CLIR links well with the intent to be truly “clear,” with programs that are distinct, resounding in impact, vibrant, transparent, and with the desire to be unobstructed and inclusive.

Developments in recent years have underscored the need for new approaches to leadership. The pandemic highlighted faults in institutions. There was growing recognition of the need to appreciate staff at all levels, to empower them, and to emphasize that we all could and should lead from where we are and not wait for or expect higher-level management to make every decision or know all the right answers. CLIR leadership programs began by connecting disparate silos within academia and heritage and moved to encompassing and recognizing the connections between areas separated by departments, fields, and hierarchies.

These institutes will encourage people to recognize their own strengths, acknowledge areas they want to develop, and understand that a holistic approach can be a better use of resources and skills to leverage the synergy of each other’s skills and to learn from each other. CLIR Aotearoa will focus on building a connected, supportive cohort whose members maintain their relationships well beyond the Institute itself. The expansion of CLIR Institutes internationally acknowledges that we are all responsible for and need to be involved in global and societal issues, and that without a collective voice we cannot address these challenges.