About GWLA

About GWLA

The Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) is a consortium of 42 research libraries located across the United States (see Map and Member Roster). 

The activities and collaborative projects of the Alliance expand access to quality information both within and beyond the boundaries of the consortium. The highly skilled staffs of its member libraries capitalize on new technologies, to forge effective and meaningful partnerships, and to promote innovation and excellence.

Our common interests intersect in programs related to scholarly communication, interlibrary loan, shared electronic resources, cooperative collection development, digital libraries, staff development and continuing education. GWLA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation chartered in Missouri, headquartered in the Kansas City metropolitan area, with staff offices also located in Houston.

Additional Information

• Board of Directors

• Member Institutions

• GWLA Bylaws

• Roles & Responsibilities

• Consortial Values

• Vision & Strategic Focus

Benefits of Membership

Among the many benefits of membership are:

• Cost savings related to cooperative negotiation of discounts and licensing terms and conditions.

• Interlibrary loan reciprocity between GWLA members.

• Two general membership meetings per year, fall and spring, for the Deans and Directors of the member institutions.

• News and discussions via listservs, webinars, virtual workspaces, and newsletters.

• Participation and membership in an array of standing committees and task forces dedicated to specific projects or areas of focus, including Content Development, Resource Sharing/Document Delivery, Cooperative Collection Management, Student Learning Outcomes, and Digital Collections.

• Professional development opportunities via webinars and workshops.

• A united voice to promote and advocate for scholarly communications, national print and digital preservation initiatives, and continuous improvement of ILL and document delivery.

Become a Member

Is your library interested in GWLA membership? Membership requirements and application information may be found in Article III of our Bylaws.