The Animal Rights and Welfare Publications records contains magazines, journals, newsletters, newspapers, pamphlets, testimonials from federal hearings, books, annual reports, articles, comic books, leaflets, videotapes, catalogs, a screenplay, and an audio CD. All publications were collected by the Animal Rights Network for their relevance in the treatment of animals. This includes a broad range of publishers and organizations, from animal rights groups, animal shelters, wildlife sanctuaries, laboratory animal providers, animal liberation groups, hunting enthusiasts, political activists, fur trappers, pet dealers, animal breeders, vegetarians, laboratories that experiment on animals, educators, societies for the protection of animals, and pet lovers. In 1979, several Connecticut-based animal rights activists withdrew from Friends of Animals, Inc., to found the Animal Rights Network (ARN). ARN joined forces with the animal rights magazine , and together they worked to unite local, national, and international animal rights groups to achieve common goals. In 2001, the board of directors determined that the role of ARN as a movement building and networking tool was no longer necessary, and formed a new organization called the Institute for Animals and Society (IAS) "to advance animal advocacy issues in public policy development by conducting scholarly research and analysis, providing education and training, and fostering cooperation with other social justice movements and interests." IAS merged with the Society and Animals Forum to create the Animals and Society Institute in 2005. Agenda
