Collection Security Working Group

The CERL Security Working group exists to help member libraries enhance the security of their culturally important heritage collections. The Working Group publishes the Quick Audit Tool, organises an annual Collection Security Summer School, and runs a confidential mailing list.

• To coordinate information about on-going security issues of relevance for collections within the scope of CERL, through the CERL Security Network and through other appropriate channels
• To monitor and disseminate information on emerging methods and technologies in library crime prevention and detection
• To identify emerging areas of vulnerability or concern
• To coordinate access to important documents on legislation, policy and practice relating to collection security
• To provide guidance on building robust collection security policy and practice relating to threats to collections
• To organise events for information exchange, as well as skills development
• To serve as an interface with security networks in related sectors

The CERL Working Group on security focuses on threats posed to collections by criminal activity, such as theft, wilful destruction, or by the adulteration of collection. Other physical threats to collections, such as fire, earthquakes, terrorism or flooding are only within the group’s remit in so far as they have an impact on the collections’ vulnerability to criminal depredation.

Membership of the Working Group is restricted to CERL members, on nomination by the member library, but the Security Working Group conferences and workshops are normally open to all.

Chairman: Jacqueline Lambert, Koninklijke Bibliotheek van België – Bibliothèque royale de Belgique, Brussels
Jarle Rui Aadna and Anna Magdalena Lindskog Midtgaard, Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Copenhagen
Núria Altarriba , Biblioteca de Catalunya, Spain
Steven Archer, Trinity College Library, Cambridge
Greger Bergvall, Kungliga Biblioteket, Sweden
José Luis Bueren Gómez-Acebo, Biblioteca Nacional de España
Andrea Cappa, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma (BNCR)
Claire Couté, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris
Louisa Coles, University of Glasgow Information Services
Bente Granrud and Gunhild Myrbakk, National Library of Norway, Oslo
Wolfgang-Valentin Ikas, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, München
Victoria Juhlin, Uppsala University Library, Uppsala
Karen Limper-Herz, British Library, London
Joe Marshall, National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
Kathleen Mühlen Axelsson, University Library Lund
Gergely Nagy, National Széchényi Library of Hungary, Budapest
Brian O'Donnell, National Library of Ireland, Dublin
Alessandro Sidoti, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze, Italy
Fran Stroobants, Koninklijke Bibliotheek van België – Bibliothèque royale de Belgique, Brussels
Wim Tromp and Foekje Boersma, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague

Institutions may nominate one member of staff (typically the Head of Security or equivalent) to be included in the Security Network mailing list. This mailing list is a secure environment for the exchange of confidential information regarding incidents of criminal activity witnessed in subscribing institutions.

With the support of the LIBER Executive Board, the Royal Library, Copenhagen, set up the LIBER Security Network in December 2002. From January 2013 the Security Network is hosted by CERL.