As early as 1995, plans to build an electronic depot system were discussed. In December 1995, the project proposal Depot for the Dutch Electronic Publications (DNEP) was submitted to the Dutch programme Innovative Scientific Informationstructure (IWI) 1996-1998. Collecting, describing, storage and delivery of electronic publications was (en still is) a very specific and complicated process. Because it was a new and emerging subject, it was not possible to fall back on earlier experiences elsewhere. The right approach could only be found through 'trial and error'. The project DNEP-IWI focussed on research to define the specific elements in the design and requirements of a electronic depot system.
The NEDLIB (Networked European Deposit Libraries) project, that KB was leading between 1998 and 2000, has meant a lot for the progress in international research on digital preservation. The aim of NEDLIB was to define the basic technological conditions for a networked European deposit library. One of the main conclusions of the NEDLIB partners was that archiving should be seperated from other services like searching, authentication and authorisation. The project results containd a process model for digital archiving (Deposit System for Electronic Publications) and an addition to the Open Archival Information System (OAIS). The DSEP and the OAIS were used as the starting point for the design of a deposit system for the KB.
In the beginning of 1999, the KB, with the assistance of Expanding Visions BV, conducted a survey of the ICT market. This research was followed by a 'request for information', which lead to a European tender procedure. IBM was chosen out of 4 proposals and after negotiations the DNEP project to build the system started late in the year 2000.
According to plans, It took two years to build the e-Depot. During this period IBM developers were working on site on the KB premises. In the DNEP project the expertise of the KB and the technical knowledge, innovation and research forces of IBM were combined. To implement the workflow for electronic publications, as well as the interfaces to the catalogue and other digital library functions, a special programme DNEP-I, was started in 2002. Johan Steenbakkers, director of ICT and Facility Management was leading this programme.
On December 12th, 2002, the e-Depot, with as its ttechnical 'heart' the IBM system DIAS (Digital Information and Archiving System), was delivered. At the same time, six studies on digital preservation were presented. These studies were the result of the joint KB/IBM project on specific issues in digital preservation. An international experts workshop on Digital preservation, Technology & Policy was organised to celebrate the delivery of the e-Depot.
The e-Depot is now fully operational and inbedded in the KB-organization, as a special Department of the Acquisitions and Processing Division. This department is entirely responsible for the ins and outs of the e-Depot system.