SHAPING COURSE. The Development of the Strategy for the e-Depot of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek,National Library of the Netherlands, in a National and International Context

Operating an international archive for digital information resources by a relatively small organization as the Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB) asks for a firm foundation of its policy. Continuing research and development efforts to secure permanent preservation and access to electronic information on a national and international scale require substantial financial, technical and staffing commitments. Cooperation in sharing resources and knowledge is called for. In the national context of the Netherlands the KB recently took the initiative to build the National Digital Preservation Coalition. All relevant sectors of Dutch society are represented. Its aim is to develop a national infrastructure and to assign clear responsibilities. In the European arena the KB, together with the British Library, started the European Alliance for Permanent Access to the Records of Science. The Alliance works towards the widespread and joint responsibility for maintaining the records of science by all major stakeholders, including national governments and the EU. In the global context the KB developed the concept of the "Safe Places Network" . This Network will include a limited number of institutions with certified digital archives for scientific publications, sharing responsibility for complete, world-wide coverage and allocate tasks accordingly.