The Reorganization of National Library Functions in Denmark

Abstract

Denmark has seen a major reorganization of national library functions in the last few years. A National Library Authority has been set up to exercise overall planning and coordination. Specifically national functions are performed by two libraries, the Royal Library in Copenhagen (which also acts as a university library for the University of Copenhagen in the humanities and social sciences), and the State and University Library in Aarhus, but several subject specialist libraries also play national collecting and document supply roles. A modernization project took place in the Royal Library in the latter half of the 1980s, with a view to clarifying its functions and of improving its performance; many of the proposals have already been acted upon. Recent developments include a change in the body responsible for the national bibliography, a review of preservation needs, a start on retrospective conversion, and the construction by the National Library Authority of a budget model (now partly adopted) to achieve fairer allocation of funds among libraries.