CARL at 50: Laying the Foundation for a National Research Knowledge Network
September 14, 2026 – As part of CARL’s 50th anniversary celebrations, we are reflecting on some of the major initiatives that have shaped Canada’s research library landscape. Few have had as profound and lasting an impact as the creation of what is now the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN).
In the late 1990s, access to scholarly publications was becoming increasingly critical—and increasingly expensive—for Canadian universities. Recognizing both the challenge and the opportunity presented by emerging digital technologies, CARL worked closely with Canada’s four regional academic library consortia (CAUL, BCI, OCUL, and COPPUL) to explore a national approach to licensing electronic scholarly resources.
Following months of collaboration, the Canadian National Site Licensing Project (CNSLP) was launched in June 1999 with the support of 64 Canadian universities. The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) invested $20 million in the project, while participating universities and provincial governments contributed an additional $30 million. The University of Ottawa served as the project’s host and administrative centre.
The goal was ambitious: to strengthen Canada’s research capacity by providing researchers across the country with equitable access to electronic scholarly publications.
By January 2001, the first CNSLP licenses were activated, providing access to more than 1,000 electronic journals and key research databases. The project also established a “made-in-Canada” model licence agreement that secured favourable terms for the academic community and demonstrated the collective purchasing power of Canadian research libraries.
The success of CNSLP quickly gained national recognition, earning major awards for innovation and leadership. More importantly, it transformed access to scholarly content for researchers across Canada and demonstrated the value of coordinated national action.
As the initiative grew, so did its scope and impact. In 2004, the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) was incorporated as an independent not-for-profit organization, building on the strong foundation established through CNSLP.
While CRKN has since evolved into an organization in its own right, its origins are deeply connected to CARL’s history. By bringing together research libraries, regional consortia, funding partners, and institutions from across the country, CARL helped lay the groundwork for one of Canada’s most important collaborative research infrastructure initiatives.
As we celebrate CARL’s 50th anniversary, we recognize the vision, leadership, and collaboration that helped turn an ambitious idea into a lasting national success.
Learn more about the CNSLP and the history of CRKN on their website.
