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PANEL PRESENTATIONS

CRRA
The Past, the Present, and the Future
Mark Shelton, Director of Library Services, College of the Holy Cross
Brian Morin, Library Director, Mount Angel Abbey
Gillian Harrison Cain, Director of Member Programs, Atla

ABS TR AC T: This report discusses the integration of the Catholic 
Research Resources Alliance (CRRA) into Atla, focusing on the history 
of CRRA, its current state within Atla, and the future outlook for this 
collaboration. Opportunities and challenges are presented.

INTRODUCTION

This report discusses the integration of the Catholic Research 
Resources Alliance (CRRA) into Atla, focusing on the history of CRRA, 
its current state within Atla, and the future outlook for this collabora-
tion. The report is based on a presentation by Mark Shelton (College 
of the Holy Cross), Brian Morin (Mount Angel Abbey Library), and 
Gillian Harrison Cain (Atla), all of whom have played significant roles 
in this process. The integration has brought together two organiza-
tions with aligned missions and goals, promising to enhance access 
to Catholic resources and further the academic work of scholars in 
theology and religious studies.



64    ATL A 2024 PROCEEDINGS

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CRRA

The Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA) was founded in 
2008 by eight institutions, each with significant Catholic archives and 
special collections. These institutions recognized the need to create 
a centralized and enduring global access point to Catholic resources 
in America. The mission of CRRA was ambitious: to bring together 
resources from diverse institutions, ensuring that scholars, students, 
and the general public could access these invaluable materials.

From its inception, CRRA focused on collaborative development 
of systems and services to make Catholic resources widely acces-
sible. One of the most significant achievements of CRRA has been 
the development of the Catholic Portal, a centralized platform that 
aggregates unique, specialized archival information. This portal, 
which includes contributions from many institutions, has become 
an essential tool for researchers interested in Catholic studies.

Another key initiative under CRRA was the creation of the Catholic 
News Archive, which sought to digitize and provide open access to 
Catholic newspapers and other diocesan publications. The initiative 
identified over 800 titles for potential inclusion in the archive and 
worked diligently to negotiate with copyright holders and secure 
grants for digitization. A significant part of this work involved creat-
ing detailed metadata at the article level to maximize accessibility.

THE PRESENT: CRRA WITHIN ATLA

The integration of CRRA into Atla represents a strategic alliance 
designed to leverage the strengths of both organizations. The inte-
gration process was marked by extensive discussions between 
CRRA and Atla leaders, facilitated by shared goals and a history of 
collaboration.  Gillian Harrison Cain highlighted the benefits of this 
integration, noting that Atla’s established technical infrastructure 
and administrative support systems have allowed CRRA members to 
focus more on their core mission—engaging with the community and 
expanding the use of Catholic resources. This effort has also created 
opportunities to expand the scope of the existing CRRA initiatives, 
such as the Catholic News Archive, and to explore similar projects 
within other denominations.



Panel Presentations    65

The integration has also provided a platform for CRRA to con-
nect more effectively with a broader academic community. Brian 
Morin pointed out that one of the current tasks is to harmonize the 
resources and technological capabilities of Atla with the specialized 
needs of CRRA. For instance, the transition of CRRA’s LibGuides to 
Atla’s platform is an example of how the integration is facilitating 
resource consolidation while maintaining the distinct identity and 
mission of CRRA.

The effort has been met with overwhelmingly positive responses 
from the member institutions. Approximately 85% of the original 
45 CRRA member institutions are now also members of Atla, dem-
onstrating the perceived value of the integration. The remaining 
institutions are still in discussion about their future involvement, 
but the overall trend is one of growing collaboration and shared 
resources.

A CRRA Program Committee, made up of CRRA and Atla repre-
sentatives, has been charged with building a strong community of 
support within Atla.  The committee will also evaluate the scope and 
use of CRRA programs and services.   This will allow the committee 
to also advise Atla on the development of new services and resources 
in support of the Catholic research community. 

FUTURE OUTLOOK

Looking ahead, the future of CRRA within Atla is full of potential. 
The integration is expected to yield significant benefits not just for 
CRRA and Atla but also for the broader academic and religious com-
munities. The collaboration opens up possibilities for new initiatives, 
such as the potential development of denominational archives for 
other religious groups, modeled after the success of the Catholic 
News Archive.

Mark Shelton emphasized that the ongoing work involves not 
just maintaining but expanding the scope of CRRA’s projects. This 
includes continuing the digitization and metadata work for the 
Catholic News Archive and exploring ways to engage more deeply 
with the academic community through conferences, workshops, 
and collaborative research projects. The commitment to keeping 
CRRA’s resources open and free is another critical aspect of the 



66    ATL A 2024 PROCEEDINGS

future strategy. Atla’s support ensures that these resources remain 
accessible to a global audience, thus fulfilling CRRA’s original mis-
sion of creating enduring global access to Catholic resources.  Work 
has already begun with transitioning web resources and platforms, 
as well as re-imagining subcommittees.

Additionally, the integration has strengthened the community 
of scholars and librarians focused on Catholic studies. By bringing 
together CRRA’s specialized focus and Atla’s broader theological 
mission, the merged organization is better positioned to support 
professional development, foster collaboration, and advance theo-
logical research.

CONCLUSION

The integration of the Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA) 
into Atla represents a significant step forward in the effort to provide 
comprehensive access to Catholic resources. The history of CRRA, 
its current integration with Atla, and the future prospects for this 
collaboration demonstrate the potential for academic and religious 
institutions to work together in innovative ways. This effort not only 
preserves the unique contributions of CRRA, but also enhances its 
capacity to serve a broader community, ensuring that these vital 
resources remain accessible for generations to come.

As this integration continues to evolve, it will be essential to 
monitor the outcomes and ensure that both organizations continue 
to meet the needs of their members and the wider community. The 
success of this integration will depend on the continued collaboration 
and commitment of all involved, and it serves as a model for how 
similar organizations might come together to achieve common goals.


