As of today all scientific journals published in the Netherlands by Elsevier Science bv (more than 350 titles) will be submitted in electronic format to the KB in The Hague, The Netherlands. Until now no other scientific publisher has entrusted so many electronic publications to a national library for safekeeping.

The agreement between Elsevier Science BV and the KB is the first step towards a national arrangement between the KB and the Dutch publishers as to submitting publications which are only accessable via an ­electronic­ network. Kluwer Academic Publishers has also agreed to submit their publications in electronic format. Currently, only on-site access is allowed. However, on a trial basis the electronic data will be available to a selected number of network users who have remote access to the new Advanced Information Workstation of the KB via Internet.

In addition to on-line publications, in the new deposit collection all cd-roms, cd-i's and other electronic publications produced in the Netherlands will be incorporated. General, educational and scientific publishers who are members of the Nederlandse Uitgeversbond, have recently agreed to supply a single copy of all their 'offline' publications published in the Netherlands to the deposit collection.

Although some studies have been made in the USA and Europe as to the set-up of a deposit collection of electronic publications, the KB leads the way in the actual practical set-up of such a collection. In addition to the already existing depository library of printed books, journals and reports, the KB records the electronic publications for the Dutch National Bibliography and stores them for an indefinite period of time for later use and scientific research.

The necessary electronic storage capacity for the deposit collection is an estimated 1,3 Terabyte in 1996, increasing to 4,4 Terabyte by the year 2000. The storage and accessibility of all submitted information requires considerable investments in new technology. For additional financing the KB has already approached the Parliamentary Undersecretary for Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschappen mr A Nuis. The KB already enjoys the support of the Dutch publishers, who apart from the business aspects also appreciate the scientific and cultural importance of the deposit collection.

13 September 1996