SCONUL


SCONUL is the membership organisation for all academic and national libraries in the UK and Ireland.

History

SCONUL was founded in 1950 as the Standing Conference of National and University Libraries. In 1994 when British polytechnics became universities it merged with COPOL, the Council of Polytechnic Librarians, and in 2001 it extended its membership to libraries of Colleges of Higher Education and changed to its current name.

Aims

SCONUL states its aims as:
For the benefit of our libraries and their users we aim:
SCONUL's activities include advocacy for the higher education library community, training and sharing best practice, making arrangements for reciprocal access to libraries, and the collection of statistics.

Structure

Its members include libraries in higher education institutions ; the British Library and the National Libraries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales; and libraries in national museums and other specialist institutions.
SCONUL is governed by its members whose Representatives meet twice a year, and between meetings by an elected Executive Board. SCONUL is a registered charity.
The SCONUL Executive Director, from 13 September 2010, is Ann Rossiter and the SCONUL office is based at 102 Euston Street, London, UK, NW1 2HA.