The Swiss National Library: A New Legal Status and a New Strategy

Abstract

The Swiss National Library has reviewed its strategy and, while remaining the primary source of information about Switzerland thanks to its collection of Helvetica (documents about Switzerland, written by Swiss authors or published in the country), it is providing more in-depth services to its primary user groups (specialists in Swiss history, Swiss literature, Swiss art and information science). Digitization policies therefore concentrate on these areas, covering primarily the press, posters and photographs. The library is setting up a centre of excellence for paper preservation, but also targeting the preservation of electronic material in its project e-Helvetica. In this field, as in others, the library cooperates and coordinates with institutions in Switzerland and abroad to share resources and avoid duplication of effort.