Consolidation of research libraries in Denmark

Since 2016 the Danish Ministry of Culture and Danish universities have pursued a policy of consolidation of research libraries. The main tool has been mergers and a significant result is the current Royal Danish Library (RDL). RDL is an institution in the Ministry of Culture with a turnover (2018) of 90m. € and a staff of 850 (650 FTE). Royal Danish Library (RDL) The easiest way to explain what has happened is to list the organisations which are now part of RDL: Royal Library, Copenhagen (national library and Copenhagen University library and IT University library); State and University Library, Aarhus (national library and Aarhus University library); Danish National Art Library; The Administrative Library (library services to central government); Library functions from the Danish Centre for Research and Information on Gender, Equality and Diversity (KVINFO); Part of Denmark’s Electronic Research Library (DEFF): negotiation of e-resources for academic, research and educational libraries and development of shared services. In addition, Roskilde University has made a contract with RDL about library services. Negotiations with Aalborg University about a similar contract are almost finished, the result being that RDL provides services to five of the eight Danish universities. Factors behind As ever economic considerations play an important role. Digital material and digital services make delivery of library services less bound to a specific place and that makes it possible to ben