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About The Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA)

The Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA) was founded in 2008 as a membership alliance of institutions committed to delivering projects and services in support of its mission to create enduring permanent global access to Catholic resources in the Americas. In 2023, CRRA members voted to dissolve and CRRA formally became a program of Atla.  

Established in 1946 as the American Theological Library Association, Atla is a membership association of librarians and information professionals, and a producer of research tools, committed to advancing the study of religion and theology. Atla’s membership includes more than 800 individuals and libraries at academic institutions from diverse religious traditions and backgrounds. As a community of collectors and connectors, Atla works to promote worldwide scholarly communication in religion and theology by advancing the work of libraries and related information providers. 

Through the CRRA program, Atla will continue to offer Catholic-focused programming and networking for libraries, archives and other institutions through continued support and growth of the resources founded by CRRA and development of new initiatives with the input and guidance of its members and participants in the CRRA program. 

The original content of this webpage is below. 

The CRRA is a nonprofit (501c3) membership alliance of institutions collaborating to deliver projects and services in support of its mission "to provide enduring global access to Catholic research resources in the Americas." Our focus is creating access to those rare, unique, and uncommon research materials held by libraries and archives in North America, as well as implementing the Catholic Newspapers Program to provide access to all extant Catholic newspapers published in North America via the Catholic News Archive and other tools.

Our Vision, Mission and Strategic Directions are set by our member institutions:

Vision

The CRRA will foster a dynamic scholarly community by:

  • creating the freely available portal to Catholic research resources in the Americas, with attention to unique and uncommonly held materials;
  • developing the freely available digital newspaper collection in the Catholic News Archive;
  • making available an extensive range of subject guides exploring topics of Catholic interest;
  • sustaining the distinctive network of libraries, archives and other institutions that enable the vision; and
  • facilitating internationally the sharing of resources and scholarship.

Mission

The CRRA provides enduring global access to Catholic research resources in the Americas, beginning with access to the rare, unique and uncommon research materials.

Strategic Directions

The Three Year Strategic Plan (2019/20 – 2021/22) sets four goals:

  1. Enhance and improve our products and services by ensuring member and scholar usability.
  2. Focus activities to sustain and strengthen the financial and structural long-term organizational viability and growth.
  3. Increase membership development through recruitment, engagement and retention activities.
  4. Seek external opportunities for collaboration, partnership and increasing brand awareness.

Under each goal, the objectives are the basis on which strategies and actions are developed. Each year, the Board, committees and members develop their actions.

Annual Report

CRRA 2020-21 Annual Report (pdf): CRRA By the Numbers

CRRA 2019-20 Annual Report (pdf)