A general introducation to the strategic plan of Leiden University Libraries and highlighting some of its services.

1. Kurt De Belder
University Librarian
Director Leiden University Libraries & Leiden University Press

2. TODAYS PROGRAMME

3. Presentation
 Background UBL
 Strategic plan overview, approach, etc. With 4
selected topics: physical space, virtual research
environments & datalabs, infrastructure in the
cloud, special collections.
Tour of the library
Presentation of special collections

4. LEIDEN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Since 1575

5. Its significance for European culture cannot be
overestimated: it is a part of a small number of
cultural centres that gave direction to the
development and spread of knowledge during the
Enlightenment. The importance of these centres
lies in the simultaneous presence of a unique
collection of exceptional sources and scholars.
Christiane Berkvens-Stevelinck: Magna Commoditas, 2001

6. An essential benchmark [...] not only for the teeming collection of
extraordinary materials it has scrupulously gathered and maintained
over a sustained period of time, but most of all for being the world's
first scholarly library in a truly modern sense. The litany of 'firsts'
recorded at Leiden is dazzling - the first printed catalogue to be
prepared by an institution of its holdings, the first attempt to identify
and maintain what today are known as 'special collections,' the first
systematic attempt to develop a corps of influential friends, patrons,
and benefactors throughout the world, the first 'universal' library, the
list goes on and on - and underpinning it all is a humanistic approach
to education and discovery that has figured prominently throughout
its history, along with an unbending belief in the limitless potential of
human inquiry.
Nicholas A. Basbanes

8. LEIDEN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
East Asian Library
Law Library
Library Learning Centre Campus The Hague
Science Libraries
Social and Behavioural Sciences Library
University Library
A modern research library supporting research & teaching

9. LEIDEN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
A quick look back

10.  1st strategic plan For Research and Education 2006-2010
 2006: reorganization of the University Library (UB)
 2009: University Library and all the institute libraries and
faculty libraries under one leadership
 2010: creation of one organization: Leiden University
Libraries (UBL)
 2011: new strategic plan Partner in Knowledge 2011-2015

11. LEIDEN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Some figures (2011)

12. 6 library locations
12 research groups supported by Virtual Research
Environments
20 fellows at the Scaliger Institute
94 hours/week open (University Library location)
117 lectures & presentations by staff
173 staff members (124 FTE)
289 courses given
500+ databases
750 subscribers to Snapshot service (18/year)
1.417 work spaces
3.945 students attended courses
5.736 visitors to local exhibitions
15.687 publications in repository
16.000+ opening hours (all library locations)

13. 40.000+ e-journals
65.158 questions answered
237.857 items circulated
340.510 unique website visitors
930.000 downloads in Institutional Repository
1.000.000+ e-books
2.500.000+ consulted articles in e-journals
4.000.000+ searches in catalogue
4.200.000+ books

14. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
Strategic Plan – Partner in Knowledge
Goals
Focus areas

15. Leiden University Libraries – Strategic plan 2011-2015: Partner in
Knowledge
http://media.leidenuniv.nl/legacy/meerjarenbeleidsplan-ubl-2011-2015.pdf

16.  UBL is at Leiden University the knowledge intersection
where information is produced, curated, used and shared,
as well physically as virtually.
 The UBL collections serve as raw material for research
and teaching
 The embedded library: students, teaching faculty and
researchers should have limitless access to the UBL
collections and services – however, wherever, whenever.
 Innovation: the UBL looks forward and prepares its users
to the new developments and possibilities within
 Knowledge organization: the UBL provides a stimulating
working environment.

17.  Library to become expert centre digital information for
research and teaching
 A partner for research and teaching faculty
 Library Learning Centre
 Digital information skills
 Relationship Special Collections and research and
teaching
 Societal relevance: Cultural Scholarly Program (UBL,
Scaliger Institute, Leiden University Press)
 Fundraising
 Collaboration

18.  New areas of expertise / tasks in research support:
o Research registration (CRIS) (in production)
o Virtual Research Environments (=> production)
o Data management & curation (pilots)
o Text & data mining (exploring project)
o Copyright (in production)
o GIS (exploring project)
o Publication support (exploring project)
o IPR and patents (to be explored)
o [further areas to be identified through in-depth focus
group discussions with researchers]

19.  New areas of expertise in teaching support:
o Advanced digital information skills
o Thesis Repository (also for accreditation purposes)
o VRE’s in education (relationship research and
teaching)
o Excellent physical work environment for students
(physical space)
o Multimedia, teaching repositories and open
courseware
 Digital has preference (4/5 of collection budget allocated
to digital materials).
 We want to do more with collections than making them
available for reading by human beings (raw material).

20.  Digital library is an embedded library, part of the digital
work environment of our users
 Virtual Research Environments
 DataLabs
 Mobile
 Cloud computing and webservices
 Chain cooperation

21.  Important for Leiden University Libraries:
o One organization in 2010
o Strategic plan developed with library staff
o Changes in function profiles (e.g. subject specialists)
o Within appointments time explicitly allocated for
development of new expertise
o Focus on working in projects
o Sufficient funding for staff training and development

22.  Approach
o Expertise approach (not subject approach).
o Balance between own expertise and mediation.
o Collaboration is central: with researchers, research
groups, computing centre and external partners such
as SURF, national data archives (DANS &
3TU.Datacentre), Microsoft Research.
o Bottom up but accompanied by strategic discussion
at leadership level of university.

23. Collaboration with LURIS
Leo Waaijers: The DARE Chronicle: Open Access to Research Results and Teaching Material in the Netherlands, Ariadne, 53,
Collaboration with CWTS
Publication advice
Founding member OAPEN
Publication pages of faculty
Harvesting of repository
Collaboration w. national data
archives
Collaboration with e-Depot
October 30, 2007. http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue53/waaijers
Faculty Digital Archives
Research life cycle
Digital Author Identifiers (DAI)
Current Research Information
System
Leiden University Press
Institutional Repository
Copyright Office
Data Information Office
DataLabs
Virtual Research Environments

24. Research life cycle
Collaboration with LURIS
Collaboration with CWTS
Publication advice
Founding member OAPEN
Publication pages of faculty
Harvesting of repository
Collaboration w. national data archives
Collaboration with e-Depot
Faculty Digital Archives
Digital Author Identifiers (DAI)
Current Research Information System
Leiden University Press
Institutional Repository
Copyright Office
Data Information Office
DataLabs
Virtual Research Environments
Leo Waaijers: The DARE Chronicle: Open Access to Research Results and Teaching Material in the Netherlands, Ariadne, 53,
October 30, 2007. http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue53/waaijers

25. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
PARTNER IN KNOWLEDGE
Importance of physical space

27. Ambitious programme started in 2007
University Library
 Wireless access throughout the building (December
2007)
 Opening Special Collections Room Dousa (March 2008)
 Fire protection systems in closed stacks and special
collections vaults installed and in use (July 2008)
 Information Centre Huygens in use (December 2008)
 Classrooms and conference room (2009)
 Entrance and Café (December 2009)
 Exhibition Space (March 2010)
 1st floor study area, special collections reference
collections (2012-2013)
 Creation Media Centre (2013)
 Asian Library as additional floor on University Library
(2015)

28. Sciences Libraries
 Refurbishment Gorlaeus Library (2009)
 Opening refurbished Snellius Library (October 4, 2012)
East Asian Library
 Integration of Chinese, Japanese & Korean Libraries
(2010)
Campus The Hague
 Opening new Library Learning Centre (September 3,
2012)

31. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
PARTNER IN KNOWLEDGE
Virtual Research Enviroments & DataLabs

34. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
PARTNER IN KNOWLEDGE
Infrastructure in the cloud

36. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

37. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

38.  Largest holdings of Dutch medieval manuscripts
 Internationally renowned Near and Far Eastern
collections of manuscripts and books
 Major holdings in early western printed books
 Oldest and most complete photograph collection
in the Netherlands
 Print room: substantial holdings of prints,
drawings and portraits
 The complete University Archives
 Extensive private archives (authors, scholars,
societies and organizations)
 Extensive maps and atlases collection

39. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
SCALIGER INSTITUTE
Research, teaching & societal relevance

40.  Connect researchers with
our special collections
 Close collaboration
between University
Libraries and faculties
 Scaliger professor
 Scaliger, Brill & Elsevier
fellowships: > 150 scholars
from > 25 countries in the
past 11 years
 Symposia, lectures,
research projects, winter
school, publications,
exhibits

41. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
SCALIGER INSTITUTE
Sampling of Fellows and their publications resulting
from their residence at the Scaliger Institute

42. Prof. dr. Anthony Grafton (Princeton): "I have always loved the
Holy Tongue": Isaac Casaubon, the Jews, and a Forgotten Chapter
in Renaissance Scholarship (2011) (with dr. Joanna Weinberg)
Prof. dr. Andrew Pettegree & Dr. Malcolm Walsby (St.
Andrews): French vernacular books. Books published in the
French language before 1601 = Livres vernaculaires francais. Livres
̧
imprimes en francais avant 1601. (2007)
́ ̧
Dr. D. van Miert (Huygens ING) & Paul Botley (Warburg
Institute): The Correspondence of Joseph Scaliger (1540-1609), 8
vols (forthcoming 2012)
Dr. Florike Egmond: The World of Carolus Clusius. (2010).

43. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
FACILITIES & SERVICES
Special Collections Reading Room Dousa

45. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
FACILITIES & SERVICES
Making collections accessible
Extensive cataloging efforts (often with external funding)
Use of new techniques and international standards
(Mass) digitization
Digitization on demand

51. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
FACILITIES & SERVICES
Integrated in teaching and research
Seminars
Clusius Research Project

54. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
FACILITIES & SERVICES
Caretaker of human memory
Specialized conservation department
UNESCO Memory of the World
Safe environment

58. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
FACILITIES & SERVICES
Societal Outreach
Events, lectures, symposia
In house exhibitions
Collaboration with major museums

64. VOICES FROM THE PRESS

65. City of Books. Seven Centuries of Reading in Leiden.
Museum De Lakenhal
22/02/2008 – 01/06/2008

67. “Leiden book history; ‘City of Books’ is a
gem”
NRC Next, 25 April 2008
“We knew Leiden was a city of refugees, of
museums and of discoveries. But today one
more aspect has been added: Leiden - city
of books. […] scores of exquisitely illustrated
books and unique writings.”
Leidsch Dagblad, 21 February 2008

68. Toward the Golden Age - Hendrick Goltzius & Jacob de
Gheyn II
Limburgs Museum
28/11/2009 – 28/02/2010

69. “Not large, but great”
Dagblad De Limbuger, 1 December 2009
“Goltzius made virtuoso and flawless
engravings”
NRC Handelsblad, 7 December 2009

70. Photography! A special collection at
Leiden University
The Hague Museum of Photography
23/01/2010 – 18/04/2010

73. “It’s all about these surprises.”
De Volkskrant, 29 January 2010
“It is for the very first time that the
photograph collection of Leiden University
Library is exhibited on such a grand scale.
[…] Internationally the fame of the Leiden
collection is tremendous.”
NRC Handelsblad, 23 January 2010

74. “The treasure trove of Leiden. Leiden
University manages a world class
photograph collection.”
Focus 97, February 2010
“Paean to the spirit of the age in 170
photographs.”
Het Parool, 25 January 2010

75. In Atmosferic Light. Picturalism in
Dutch Photography 1890-1925
Museum Het Rembrandthuis, Amsterdam
01/04/2010 – 20/06/2010

77. “The treasures of Leiden were never before
revealed on such a large scale. […] In short,
a feast of recognition.”
Trouw, 23 April 2010
“There are many mysteries in the exhibition
[…] many ‘double entendres’, many things
that are different from what they appear to
be.”
Vrij Nederland, 15 May 2010

78. Erwin Olaf: Relief of Leiden
Museum De Lakenhal & Leiden University Library
29/09/2011 – 08/01/2012

80. “An image that can compete with history
paintings with regard to dynamics,
composition, tempered light and reduced
colours.”
Trouw, 29 September 2011
“Olaf’s interpretation of the Siege is harder,
darker, probably more realistic, than those in
the traditional idealized history paintings. With
his images of plague doctors, he shows that
the plague – according to the latest research
from Leiden University – led to more deaths
than hunger.”
NRC Handelsblad, 28 September 2011

81. LEIDEN UNIVERSTY LIBRARIES
COLLABORATION & PARTNERSHIPS
Memberships
NVB, the Dutch Association of Information Professionals
UKB, the Dutch consortium of university libraries and the National Library
FOBID, the Netherlands Library Forum
LIBER, Association of European Research Libraries
IFLA, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
OCLC, Research Library Partnership

83. More information:
http://library.leiden.edu
k.f.k.de.belder@library.leidenuniv.nl
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtdebelder
@KurtDeBelder