Rluk (Research Libraries UK)

Research Libraries UK (RLUK) is a consortium of 39 leading research libraries across the UK and Ireland, originating from the 1992 Consortium of University Research Libraries (CURL) and rebranded in 2007 to lead the sector. Its mission centers on shaping the research library agenda through collective advocacy, strategic collaboration, and innovative programs that advance open scholarship, academic excellence, equitable access to knowledge, and preservation. Core values emphasize inclusivity, digital transformation, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), sustainability, and positioning libraries as vital partners in the knowledge economy, as outlined in its 2022-2025 strategy 'The Library Transforming'.

RLUK invests in member-led initiatives addressing scholarly communication, EDI in collections and services, technological innovation, workforce development, decolonisation, and resilience. Key programs include Inclusive Collections, Inclusive Libraries; Digital Shift Forum; collaborative research on Covid-19 impacts; and partnerships with Jisc and The National Archives for open access, copyright reform, and professional training. Beneficiaries are primarily its member institutions—major university and national research libraries—enhancing research support, heritage preservation, and sector-wide capacity building rather than external charities or communities.

Eligibility is restricted to RLUK's member academic institutions in the UK and Ireland; it does not accept unsolicited applications from external entities, small organizations, or non-members. There are no open grants, deadlines, or formal processes—funding supports internal collaborative projects without specified amounts or income rules. Distinctively, RLUK operates as a backbone infrastructure body for sector leadership and advocacy, not a traditional grant-maker, uniquely convening expertise for national and international policy influence on open knowledge and inclusive practice.