Dutch University libraries intensify cooperation with the launch of UKBsis

The Dutch university libraries (UKB) give the mutual cooperation an extra impulse with the establishment of a program for joint "Scholarly Information Services": UKBsis. SURF also participates in this initiative.

Over the next two years, UKBsis focuses on the realization of sustainable deals with publishers for access to scientific information and open access publishing. Negotiating teams are supported and contract management is further improved. With this approach, national control of negotiations, part of the VSNU Open Access Roadmap, will be facilitated even better.

In addition to extra efficiency and effectiveness, the deployment of the program ensures that university open access specialists are less concerned with administrative matters and can focus more on supporting and advising researchers. UKBsis is explicitly looking for international cooperation with other consortia to realize the transition towards 100% open access in a sustainable way.

Arjan Schalken, former deputy director of the library of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, is appointed program manager of UKBsis.

See: Press release: UKB.