CSIC Libraries Network is part of the Information Resources for Research System (SIC). The Network gathers the URICI, Unit of Information Resources for Research, and 60 research libraries scattered in 21 different Cities from 10 autonomous regions, besides 14 Science Archives. The Network libraries are located in CSIC Research Centers or within research sites shared with Universities or various Scientific Institutions. CSIC Libraries Network provides also library services to scientists from Centers without library via “Plan 100% Digital”.
The Libraries Network also includes 5 external (non-CSIC) libraries belonging to Scientific Foundations (Residencia de Estudiantes, Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Fundación Ortega y Gasset, Fundación García Lorca y Museu de Ciencies Naturals de la Ciudadella).
The Libraries Network is a horizontal information resources system that facilitates information resources selection, management, dissemination, access and preservation, as a useful tool for CSIC research and development. The network promotes scientific excellence by providing services to a multi-disciplinary science community on and off site, and ideas and information access, using high quality infrastructures.
The Network Libraries printed bibliographic collections include around 1.700.000 books, and 66.000 journal titles, plus more than 300.000 electronic books and 11.000 e-journals; there are also special materials such as maps, photographs, manuscripts, etc. The subjects coverage vary according to CSIC research lines; Biology and Biomedicine, Food science and technology, Materials science and technology, Physics science and technology, Chemistry science and technology, Agriculture, Humanities and Social Sciences and Natural Resources.
These Libraries collections has produced one of the most important automated union catalogues called CIRBIC (Catálogos Informatizados de la Red de Bibliotecas del CSIC). The Network manages archival collections too, being accessible through the Archives catalogue, including descriptions of over 90.000 textual and iconographic documents. The dissemination policy of the bibliographic heritage collections of special and old printed works is promoted through digitization projects (Simurg , Fondos Digitalizados del CSIC).
The Libraries Network is globally involved in the dissemination of CSIC research output adopting open access policies, and supporting and managing in this strategy the Repositorio Institucional del CSIC (Digital.CSIC).
The Libraries Network is managed by the URICI, Unit of Information Resources for Research, with offices located in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Sevilla. URICI coordinates and develops the Libraries Network, and manages its automation controls. Its aim is updating and improving its resources management. The Unit of Information Resources for Research is responsible for; managing the Union catalogue, providing access to e-resources through the Virtual Library, preserving and providing access to CSIC Science output via Digital.CSIC Repository, automating CSIC heritage archives, coordinating library services and bibliographic collections development, providing working tools and training to CSIC librarians, maintaining and developing Library Network website and other communication channels, acting as CSIC representative in library cooperation forums and working together with CSIC Authorities creating the Institutional Scientific Information Policy.