| Revenue | Non-profit |
|---|---|
| URL | ipl.org |
| Launched | March 17, 1995 |
| Current status | Defunct (as of June 30, 2015) |
The Virtual library (IPL, ipl2) was a non-profit, largely student-run website managed by a consortium, headed by Drexel University. Visitors could ask reference questions, and volunteer librarians and graduate students in library and information science formed collections and answered questions. The IPL opened on March 17, 1995. On January 1, 2010 it merged with the Librarians' Internet Index to become ipl2.[1] It ceased operations completely on June 30, 2015.
The digital collections on the site were divided into five broad categories, and include Resources by Subject, Newspapers & Magazines, Special Collections Created By the ipl2, and Special Collections for Kids and Teens. As of March 2011 it had about 40,000 searchable resources.[2] As of 2020 IPL has been purchased by Barnes and Noble Education and the above layout has been replaced; it now resembles an essay repository for students.