Post on 27-Dec-2015
Merging the National Library and the National Archives LIBER General Annual Conference, Tartu, June 2012Els van Eijck van Heslinga, Head Finance and Corporate Services, KB
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Facts & figures Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB)National Library of the Netherlands
2011:•359 staff as of 31 December•110 km of library materials •100,537 visits to the library annually•4,637,279 visits to the websites•47,893 books added in 2011•77,047 printed periodical issues added in 2011•1,314,318 digital periodical articles added in 2011•170,000 e-books made available (patron-driven acquisition)
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Facts & figures National Archives (NA)
2011:
• 144 staff• 105 km of public records, 14,5 km of which pre-1795• Plus 300,000 maps, drawings and 10 million photos• 19,000 visits to the archives annually• 130,000 visits to the website per month (1,560,000
per year)• 5,000 visits per day to Flickr (photos)
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Collections
Unique (digital) collections that complement each
other
• KB books, newspapers, periodicals (published material), also: manuscripts, special collections
• NA public records national government (originals), images (many photos, among others the Spaarnestad archive), other archival collections
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Similarities
• Target groups: researchers, general public, business-to-business clients such as archives and libraries, museums, other cultural heritage institutions
• Evolving into a national back office service• Responsibilities for long-term access (digital
preservation) • National and international role in respective domains
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Differences
• Ambitions with regard to digitization (NA: digitization on demand; KB: mass digitization)
• Exhibitions (NA: on-site; KB: on-line)• Relationship with government (NA: public records law;
KB: strategic influence only)• Different legal issues (NA: privacy and freedom of
information; KB: copyright and open access)
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Cooperation thus far • “Metamorfoze”, national programme for preservation of
paper heritage • Joint on-site exhibitions ( “The Legacy of the
Netherlands”)• NA contributes content to online exhibition “The Memory
of the Netherlands” • Research in digital preservation
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Digital preservation: building a national infrastructure for permanent access to digital resources
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Intended merger
December 2011: Secretary of State announces merger
Most important reasons:• Comparable digital challenges: collection and storage
of and provision of access to digital information• Pooling knowledge, skills and resources
Advantages: • High quality, continuity and efficiency• Stronger national and international position
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
New strategy
A joint vision for 2025 based on:
1. Unique content (the National Memory of the Netherlands) and its exploitation
2. Knowledge about that content3. Technical infrastructure to provide long-term access
to digital collections
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Outline Strategic Plan 2014-2017
• All collections can be searched online.• Paper books, periodicals, public records and special
collections accessible in reading rooms• Digitization-on-demand service• Where possible documents and public records directly
available in digital form for research and re-use• Excellent facilities for study, research, meetings and
conferences• Facilities for exhibitions and educating the general
public
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Synergy and efficiency – short-term and long-term
Operational management
Short term: immediately after merger [1-1-2014]
Housing, ICT, Finance, HRM, Communication
‘Physical’ and digital services
Medium term: 2 years after merger
Depends on housing (reading rooms, shared entrance)
Storage and maintenance collections
Medium term: 2 years after merger
Depends on housing/ investments (stacks, depots)
Acquisitions and processing
Long term: 5 to 10 years after merger
To be decided
Merging the National Library and the National Archives June 2012
Process of merger
• Three involved parties: KB, NA, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
• Designing merger process• Due Diligence• Management meetings (determine strategy, core
values etc.)• Communications track: shared merger intranet, staff
introductions, dedicated merger design
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Organizational structure Governance yet to be determined• In all likelihood a team of directors• Structure of organization to be
determined following strategic plan
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Issues requiring attention
• New institution requires new legislation• KB and NA presently are different types of legal
entities (Autonomous Administrative Authority vs. Government Agency)
• Different Collective Labour Agreements• Special authority NA with regard to public records• Friction costs
Merging the National Library and the National Archives
June 2012
Present joint projectsResearch programme Digital Preservation
Restoration and Digitization Departments
Digitization on-demand
Organization of User Services Department(s)
Preliminary investigation Depots/Stacks
Shared Entrance
Office automation
Merging Facility Management
Security (people, collections)
Branding strategy
Implementation Joint Operational Management Applications
Workflow description
Preliminary investigation passage-way linking buildings
Architecture Operational Management Applications