Koninklijke Bibliotheek, the National Library of the Netherlands, The Hague, 18-19 November 2019

The session was for high-level staff in libraries that were in the process of storing (part of) their collections in a remote facility.

Chairman for the day: Dr Ulrich Niederer, formerly of the ZHB Luzern, and still actively involved in the Kooperative Speicherbibliothek Schweiz

Participants introduce themselves (14:00-14:30)

Introduction: Dr Niederer with a reflection on Why consider remote storage? (14:30-15:00)
Break (15:00-15:15)

Planning for it
1. Specifications for the building, climate control or not, etc. (15:15-16:00)
Introducing the topic: Foekje Boersma, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, the National Library of the Netherlands, also raising the issue of passive climate control.

2. Collaborative storage, potential partners, funding, agreements, etc. (16:00-16:45)
Introducing the topic: Hilde Van Kiel, KU Leuven Libraries, including a few words on the Heritage Lab, planned for thirteen Flemish heritage institutions.

3. Criteria for deciding what goes in and what doesn’t, special collections or not? (16:45-17:30)
Introducing the topic of selection criteria: Ophélie Ramonatxo, Bibliothèque nationale de France

Evening: Conference dinner at your own cost We will go to InStock, situated next to the prison in the small section of the medieval city wall that is still standing. The costs are 41 Euro for a four-course dinner and three drinks.

Chairman: Marian Lefferts, CERL

Moving to the remote storage (from 9:00-10:30)
4.Preparations for actual move
Introducing the topics of cataloguing, inventory, barcoding etc.: Michael Williams and Robin James, Cambridge University Library

Introducing the topics of preservation issues, shelfing plans and other preparations for the move (staff training? Issues around packing the collection? Choosing a moving firm?): Toby Kirtley, Bodleian Libraries

5. The actual move, contractors, unpacking the materials in the new storage area
Introducing the topic: Ulrich Niederer

Break from 10:30 to 11:00

Working with the remote storage in place (from 11:00-12:30)
6. Security issues, e.g. related to transport, drivers/vans, routes, disaster planning
Introducing the topic: Jacqueline Lambert, Royal Library, Brussels, will explore the 'what if' hazard analysis model often used in technical/ industrial engineering with the workshop participants

7. Workflows. Getting the items out of storage (and returning them there), and service to reading rooms (+ communicating about this to users)
Introducing the topic: Andy Appleyard, British Library

Conclusions, last questions, and farewells (12:30-13:00)

Lunch for seminar participants (13:00-14:00)

Registration: Please send a message to marian.lefferts@cerl.org

Costs: a small registration fee to cover the catering costs (Euro 25 for CERL members, and Euro 40 for non-members). You will need to make your own travel arrangements. Suggested hotels see below.

Directions: https://www.kb.nl/en/visitors/address-and-directions. We are meeting in the room called 'Visboek' on the second floor.

Hotels:

- NH hotel just behind the Central Station and the venue for the seminar (walk or one tram stop)
- Babylon Hotel, on the same square at the venue of the seminar, but usually a bit more expensive
- Novotel Suites, newish on the main shopping street, 10min-walk from the seminar venue
- Holiday Inn express – Parliament, 10min-walk

The venue is on the square behind the Central Station, which is a transport hub, so if you chose a hotel further out, there is usually good transport to travel from hotel to the KB the Netherlands. I am happy to offer advice on transport, and you might find this a useful tool for planning travel by public transport (train, tram, bus): http://9292.nl/ (just enter departure point and where you want to go).

Buying a day ticket for public transport in The Hague: https://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Day-tickets-for-public-transport.htm