Norwegian version

Operations in 2004

By Lisbeth Tangen, Chairman of the Board, and Jon Birger Østby, Director

The operational year 2004 was marked by great and important challenges.  Work has continued to strengthen the fusion of the three constituent institutions, and to develop the vision, values and strategies that underpin our operations.  In the Report to the Storting relating to ABM-utvikling, it was emphasised that the new institution’s main role would be developmental rather than administrative and supervisory.  Nevertheless, it has become apparent that these latter tasks are also growing in importance.

It is the task of ABM-utvikling to deal with the issues that arise both within the separate sectors and to stimulate co-operation across the sectors.  Our vision is that archives, libraries and museums should be places for new knowledge and experience for all,  in an environment that gives individual users access to services and materials adapted to their own wishes and needs.

One of the main reasons for the creation of ABM-utvikling was the need to find new ways to deal with the challenges posed by the rapid advances in electronic technology.  Major problems have to be overcome in order to create access to the sources of knowledge and experience across both the different types of source and the institutional barriers.

It is the task of ABM-utvikling both to initiate its own projects and to provide extra project funding to applicants from outside the organisation.  Despite the prevailing severe economic parameters for the provision of project funding, it was a pleasure to note that the applications received during autumn 2004 generally were of a higher quality than previously.  This fact shows why it is even more important that we in the coming years receive our share of the increase in project funding which has been announced.

In the archive sector, much work has been carried out to prepare a broad mapping and appraisal of the preservation and dissemination of local and private archives. The information obtained as a result will serve as a basis for further plans and initiatives for the sector.  

In the library sector we were given responsibility in 2004 for the preparation of a comprehensive Library Report, due for completion in May 2006.  In this connection, one of the key terms is the “seamless library”; the report will look at the ways in which the combined library resources can best be exploited and be rewarding or pleasurable.  The project “The Norwegian Digital Library” has been established with the prime aim of developing co-operation in the use of electronic resources.  Whilst the work has so far primarily been concerned with the library sector, the aim is that the project will also include the development and the shared use of the electronic resources of the archives and museums.

In the museum sector, our main efforts have been directed at issues arising from the Museum Reform programme, although the theft from the Munch Museum has lead to a heightened focus on security of the museum collections.

Amongst the cross-sectoral initiatives, the Culture Net Norway project represents one of the most important tasks.  In 2004, the Culture Net has been given a brand new look, with a greater emphasis on co-operation with regional cultural networks, a new focus on topics rather than on institutions and sectors, and targeted at a broad spectrum of users with an interest in culture rather than at specialist personnel in the institutions.

During a time of major change, and as yet without having received much in the way of new funding, it has been necessary for us to prioritise our tasks.  Perhaps inevitably, many users will tend to notice what they are missing rather than appreciate the results in the new areas to which our efforts have been directed.  In our role as a public development organisation, we must give priority to the tasks set out in the ABM Report, the Report to the Storting on Culture, and other official documents.  The work of ABM-utvikling covers a broad range of larger and smaller tasks, but in this Annual Report we have chosen to highlight some of our large-scale efforts, rather than presenting a more wide-ranging overview.

Vision, values and strategies of ABM-utvikling

Vision:

Archives, libraries and museums are places of new knowledge and experience for all.
The activities of ABM-utvikling are founded on the following basic values:

• Tolerance, freedom of speech and democracy
• The inherent value of culture
• The right of access to information
• The diversity of culture
• Social inclusion
• Standardised formats
• The effective use of society’s resources

To bring about this vision, ABM-utvikling has developed the following major strategies:

• To focus its activities on the users
• To stimulate and initiate the development and the evolution of ideas within and across the separate sectors
• To have open dialogue with participants within their chosen fields
• To develop and strengthen co-operation between the archives, libraries and museums, and other institutions, organisations and participants
• To further the knowledge of archives, libraries and museums
• To promote valid ideals
• To be a driving force in dealings with other public authorities

The core areas towards which ABM-utvikling will direct its efforts for the period 2004-2006 are:

• The advancement of learning and data collection in the archives, libraries and museums
• The broadening of online access to knowledge and culture
• The identification and development of regional and local archive facilities
• The development of new policies for libraries that reflect changes in society towards technology, new demands for knowledge, and culture
• An improvement in the quality of museums by means of the Museums Reform programme
• A raised public awareness of the  tasks and activities undertaken by the archives, libraries and museums

ABM-utvikling – some statistics

The 2004 budget of ABM-utvikling for running costs and for project and development initiatives amounted to NOK 87 million.  Additional available funding consisted of regular grants amounting to NOK 87.5 million, state lottery funding of NOK 35.3 million, and grants for special projects (the Nordbok secretariat and consortium agreements) of NOK 26.7.  The budget for running costs and project and development initiatives was allocated as follows:

ABM-utvikling - personnel

At the end of 2004, ABM-utvikling had 66 employees, of whom 62 were full-time and four were part-time staff.

Courses and conferences arranged by ABM-utvikling in 2004

• The Report to the Storting on Culture from a library’s point of view, 14.1.04 in Oslo.
• Interlibrary co-operation, 19-20.1.04 in Bergen.  Arranged jointly by ABM-utvikling, the Association of County Head Librarians (Fylkesbiblioteksjefkollegiet),  Oslo University College Faculty of Journalism, Library and Information Science, and the Norwegian Library Association
• 69th Norwegian Library Meeting, 24-27.3.04 in Molde. ABM-utvikling was the main sponsor, participating with stands and seminars.
• A seminar for the evaluation and creation of new ideas for the 20 museums that have received extra funding to develop historical elements for inclusion in the national initiative for professional art and culture in education in Norway, Art and Culture in the Classroom, 29-31.3.04 in Røros.
• Archives and the multi-cultural society.  Arranged by the National Society of Local and Private Archives (Landslaget for lokal- og privatarkiv) in conjunction with ABM-utvikling,  26.4.04 in Skjetten.
• A seminar on coastal culture: the importance of coastal cultural in regional civic planning and industrial development. Arranged by Riksantikvaren – Directorate for Cultural Heritage, ABM-utvikling, the Directorate of Fisheries and the Norwegian Coastal Administration,  27-29.4.04 in Svolvær.
• An information seminar relating to various EU programmes, 6-7.5.04 in Oslo.
• NKUL – Norwegian Conference on Education and Learning: The use of Information and Communication Technology in education. ABM-utvikling acted as sponsor and participated with stands and seminars, 6-8.5.04 in Trondheim.
• Open up the Gateways!  A seminar on Internet gateways on behalf of ABM-utvikling /the Norwegian Digital Library, 10.5.04 in Oslo.
• The Infinite Library - Festival of Literature.  ABM-utvikling was joint organiser of the seminar on 27.5.04 in Lillehammer.
• Culture on the Internet 2004.  Arranged by Culture Net Norway and Culture Net Trøndelag, 3.6.04 in Trondheim.
• A Norwegian digital library of local history: local history and the public library – what are the challenges?  Arranged by the Norwegian Institute of Local History, ABM-utvikling and Oslo University College, 24.9.04 in Oslo.
• Learning for all:  a conference on learning in archives, libraries and museums, 27.9.04 in Oslo.
• The Library Report:  future images and strategies – the challenges for the libraries. A conference for library leaders, 11-12.10.04 in Gardermoen.
• Digital and social:  Where is the open social environment in a digital world?  ABM-utvikling was joint organiser, 10-12.11-04 in Bergen.
• “Eeenie Meenie”:  How can the continuity of good digital services be secured?  Arranged by ABM-utvikling /Norwegian Digital Library, 18.11.04 in Oslo.
• Literature in the Cultural Classroom – on both local and regional levels.  Selected librarians were invited to an ideas and practice seminar on teaching literature as part of the national initiative for professional art and culture in education, 18-19.11.04 in Oslo.
• Digital technology in colour – a course on behalf of ABM-utvikling and the National Library, 13-16.12.04 in Mo i Rana.
• Training for leadership.  24 leaders from archives, libraries and museums participated in a programme of leadership development organised by ABM-utvikling during 2004/2005.  The programme consisted of two meeting in autumn 2004 and two meetings during spring 2005.

ABM-utvikling – some statistics

Institutions
Public libraries                                               892 permanent library divisions
Academic, special and research libraries       336 units
Museums                                                         629 museum units

Visits
Public libraries                                               23 million
Academic, special and research libraries       6.1 million
Museums                                                         8.7 million

Loans
Public libraries                                               24.8 million
Academic, special and research libraries       4 million

Number of exhibitions
Museums                                                         3,124

Size of the collections
Public libraries (total stock)                           22 million
Academic, special and research libraries
(total stock)                                                     44.8 million
Museums (number of   artefacts and
photographs)                                                   27.6 million

Salaried full-time equivalents
Public libraries                                               1,852
Academic, special and research libraries       1,581
Museums                                                         3,410

Salary costs
Public libraries                                               NOK 670 million
Academic, special and research libraries       NOK 536 million
Museums                                                         NOK 1,058 million

Purchases for the collections
Public libraries                                               NOK 134 million
Academic, special and research libraries       NOK 290 million

Each year, ABM-utvikling publishes statistics for all types of library and museum.  From 2006, the statistics publication will also incorporate the archives sector.  ABM-utvikling works in conjunction with Statistics Norway on the retrieval  and quality control of the statistical data relating to museums and the academic, special and research libraries.

For the year 2003 museum and library statistics, data was collected from almost 5,400 libraries and museums, including their branches. School libraries constituted the largest group, with approximately 3,400 units;  around 1,000 were public libraries, almost 350 were academic, special and research libraries, and just under 600 were museums.

Libraries and museums constitute a large and varied environment, ranging from small libraries and museums with perhaps only one employee to large institutions with several hundred employees.  Some figures from the 2003 statistics nevertheless give an idea of the resources available and the activities that take place in the museums and libraries.  Approximately 7,700 salaried full-time equivalents were employed in the institutions included in the statistics.  Total gross operating costs of around NOK 4.3 billion were recorded by the libraries and museums, excluding the school libraries, NOK 2.3 billion of which were spent on salaries.  The almost 38 million visits made to these institutions demonstrate that the services are in heavy demand.  Earlier surveys by Statistics Norway have shown that roughly half the population visits the museums and the public libraries during the year, and that approximately 10% of the population visit an academic, special or research library during the same time.  It should also be borne in mind that the figures do not include the visits made to the institutions’ Internet home pages and the use of the many services available there.

Lending is one of the most important services of a library, and without counting the school libraries, almost 30 millions loans were made in 2003.  Both museums and public libraries place great emphasis on the services and materials available to children and young persons.  Both institutions work closely with schools, and the museums statistics shows that educational programmes were organised in connection with the almost 850,000 visits by children.  In total, almost 1.7 million children visited the museums.  The figures for loans of literature also show that children are frequent users of the public libraries, which lent on average 8.3 children’s books to every child in the country; when the primary and lower secondary school libraries’ figures are added to those of the public libraries, the combined figure rises to 14.3 books, or 55% of the total number of books lent by these libraries.  Access to information in the academic, special and research libraries has been simplified by the conversion of large parts of the materials to electronic format and an ever growing collection of electronic documents.  In 2004, for example, these libraries contained over 100,000 subscriptions to periodicals in electronic format.

Full statistical data in respect of libraries and museums for 2003 can be found in ABM Publication no. 11.

Mapping and appraisal of the archives

A programme of mapping and appraising the archives commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs involves the examination of current practices of preservation and dissemination of both local and regional source materials.  A pilot project in 2004 targeted the three counties of Aust-Agder, Hordaland, and Møre og Romsdal, and as of 25th October 2004, the database created contained data from 90 institutional repositories, 2,667 records creators, and 2,730 archives.

The evaluation of the pilot project has concluded that the appraisal of the archives in the remaining counties needs both to be simplified and differentiated according to the size of the institutional repositories.  For each county, a handful of core institutions will be selected for a thorough appraisal, whilst the remainder will in the first instance only be required to supply primary data to support the objectives of the appraisal.  The appraisal of the local councils in their role as institutional repositories should be differentiated according to whether or not the local authority is participating in an inter-authority archival partnership arrangement.  The authorities that do take part in such an arrangement are usually able to provide dependable information in respect of the state of the archives. In the local authorities that do not, it is likely that archive record keeping is carried out in a more general, less detailed fashion.

Security measures

Extra grant scheme for museum security
ABM-utvikling is currently administering a state funded “Extra grant scheme for museum security”.  Museums applying for such grants can, if successful, obtain up to 60% of the costs of security measures.  The funding is intended to finance initiatives to prevent and reduce the extent of damage incurred by fire, theft, robbery, vandalism, natural catastrophe, or any other damage.  The security grants can also be awarded to finance the planning of security measures.

One of the conditions is that the planned security must conform to a standard, as described on the application form.  A permanent consultative committee in charge of the work related to the scheme has been appointed by ABM-utvikling.  Any museum except those that are entirely state funded is free to apply for funding.  Since it was set up in 1984, a total of NOK 90 million has been routed through the scheme;  in 2004, 43 museums applied for NOK 8.8 million of added security funding.

Other initiatives in 2004

Following the theft of the paintings “The Scream” and “Madonna” from the Munch Museum on the 22nd August, The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs has asked ABM-utvikling “to estimate the extent of the threat and the consequences for the security of the museum collections”.  ABM-utvikling has thus been in consultation with several institutions and services both at home and abroad in order to take stock of the situation and consider what measures can be taken.  Analyses have been carried out and proposals submitted for both immediate and long-term measures.  On the basis of the report submitted by ABM-utvikling, The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs has made available NOK 5 million to cover immediate security measures to be implemented in selected art museums.

Publications

ABM-skrift

In 2004, six publications were issued in the ABM publication series (ABM-Skrift).  These are available both in print and in electronic format.

ABM Publication no. 6:  A seamless Library Law for seamless Library Services? 
The background for the publication is a desire to achieve a unified library sector, and the report discusses whether a widening of the scope of the Library Act may be an appropriate means to provide library users with better library services.

ABM Publication no. 7:  Museum Architecture:  A study of recent Norwegian museum buildings
The study was written by the architect Hege Maria Eriksson, and looks at the challenges and problems that are associated with current and future museum architecture.

ABM Publication no. 8:  Seamless knowledge – on the use of topic maps
The paper, written by Ingvild Kongsbakk, provides an introduction to the standard of topic maps and the most important aspects of topic maps.

ABM Publication no. 9:  It’s all about learning
The author, Lars Egeland, promotes the view that the libraries should make a greater contribution to learning, and to raise the profile of learning in this manner.

ABM Publication no. 10:  Norwegian sign language as an official language
This report was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs and written by ABM-utvikling and Grete Bergh.  The report provides a broad introduction to the current status of sign language both in Norway and abroad and finishes with the recommendation that a law be drafted to give Norwegian sign language the status as an official language in Norway.

ABM Publication no. 11:  Statistics for Libraries and Museums 2003
The statistics for 2003 includes statistics from the public libraries, the school libraries, and the academic, special and research libraries.

The ABM Magasine

The first issue of ABM, the magasine of ABM-utvikling, appeared in Autumn 2004.  The magasine provides information on initiatives within the whole Archives, Library and Museum sector, and on projects that receive the support or participation of ABM-utvikling.  The magasine is aimed at  those involved in related decision-making at all levels of national and local government, and at those employed in the sector.

Mailing lists

ABM-utvikling is in charge of the administration of a series of mailing lists used for discussion and communication, either for defined groups or panels, or as lists that are open to all applicants.  The list Bibliotek-Norge (Library-Norway) is operated by the National Library, whilst ABM-utvikling is operating lists such as Museumsnorge(Museum-Norway), Fotobevaring (Photograph preservation) and Arkivnorge(Archive-Norway).  Other lists are operated for Icomnorge, the leaders of university college libraries, and so on.  List no. 110 is aimed at artists and those interested in the fine arts.

Newsletter from ABM-utvikling

Approximately once a month, we issue a letter in digital format, providing information about matters that are currently being dealt with by ABM-utvikling and other issues of interest to all the constituent sectors.

Bok og Bibliotek (Book and Library)

ABM-utvikling also publishes the journal Bok og Bibliotek.   The contents of the journal have in certain circumstances been perceived to represent the views held by ABM-utvikling itself, and so in order to ensure the continued free, critical and independent operation of the journal, the board of ABM-utvikling has started work to revise the organisation of the publication.

Culture Net Norway:  Norwegian culture on the Internet

Culture Net Norway (kulturnett.no) is the official website for culture in Norway.  It was established in 1998 at the instigation of the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs, and at first was operated by the Mo i Rana Division of the National Library.  However, with the establishment of ABM-utvikling in 2003, responsibility was passed to this institution.  During 2003, work began on a new version of the Culture Net, with a greater focus on the users and consequently on cross-sectoral issues.   Besides the Culture Net, there were also separate networks for the library, museum, archive and arts sectors, but in the new version which was launched in July 2004, all the sector networks have been included in Culture Net Norway.

The new Culture Net has been built on the Topic Map standard.  This is a new standard and so far is only in use for a few Norwegian websites.  Topic maps permit a more efficient use of information than is usual in more traditional databases.  It is also possible to link different topic maps together and thus create seamless access to sources of knowledge.

Responsibility for the running of Culture Net Norway rests with ABM-utvikling’s Information department.  The editorial office employs designers, web librarians, journalists, programmers, a consultant who liaises with the regional and professional participants, and a project leader.  In all, eight members of staff work in the editorial office; in addition they carry out tasks for ABM-utvikling as a whole.

It is the aim of the website to demonstrate the breadth of our culture on the Internet;  it provides a subject guide to the cultural topics, an index of artists, an index of institutions, and a calendar of cultural events.  The Culture Net Norway editorial team works closely with regional culture networks nationwide.  Culture Net Trøndelag was created in 2004.  Several other counties have received funding from ABM-utvikling and are now in the process of establishing regional websites.  These regional culture networks use the parts of the data contained in Culture Net Norway that pertain to their own region.

Culture Net Norway also works with various professional partners, among them the Norwegian Art Information Centre, the Music Information Centre Norway, and the Norwegian Writers’ Centre, which all submit data to the artists’ index and which receive the edited data in return.

Culture Net Norway distributes project funding to stimulate the production of creative content on the Internet.  Among the projects to receive funding are:

“Trondheimsbilder” (Images of Trondheim), a joint venture between the academic, special and research libraries and the public libraries, and archives and museums, intended to make an historic pictorial portrayal of the city of Trondheim available on the Internet (www.trondheimsbilder.no).  This collaborative venture also includes the systems providers Bibsys, Bibliotek-Systemer AS, and the Museums’ Data Service.  The project was completed early in 2005.  Another project to receive funding is “Virvel”, a multi-cultural website for children (www.virvel.net).
www.kulturnett.no

The Museums Reform

In 2004, the Museums Reform programme entered its third year.  The reform was first discussed in the Report to the Storting no. 22 (1999-2000) “Sources of Knowledge and Experience” and further developed in the Report to the Storting no. 48 (2002-2003), “Cultural Policy up to 2014”.  By means of appropriate restructuring and financial stimulus, the Museums Reform programme is intended to secure a sound professional specialist environment and to build national networks, which together can support the continued development of the sector as a resource for knowledge and experience in a broad societal perspective.

During the years 2002, 2003 and 2004, the museums’ annual budget increased by NOK 40 million, NOK 37 million and NOK 22 million respectively.  Adding the rise in 2005 of NOK 24 million, a total of something over NOK 120 million has been awarded during the first four years of the reform, a figure well below that indicated when the reform was adopted.

In the budget for 2004, the proportion of central funding awarded in the preceding subsidy arrangement was converted to direct a operating grant from central government to each individual museum.  Accordingly, ABM-utvikling held separate meetings with all the county councils, as well as with the museums and selected local councils.  During Spring 2004, ABM-utvikling  received suggestions in writing from all the county councils concerning the central government budget.

In their allotted responsibilities for 2004, 11 museums were given responsibility for a total of 13 museum networks.  During Autumn 2004, ABM-utvikling invited the museums responsible for the networks to a meeting for an exchange of experiences.  In addition, a meeting was also arranged for the museums receiving operating grants from other ministries.

The experiences so far gathered concerning the networks are part of an initial phase which consists of a mapping and appraisal of competences and resources, with a growing focus on initiatives in subject specialist fields and the establishment of collaborative projects, a focus that became apparent in the applications for project funding from ABM-utvikling.

The main challenges for the future will be to maintain the high quality and continuing progress of the procedures already in place, to emphasise the reform’s main point of professional excellence, to concentrate on developing efficient organisations, as well as continuing to ensure an open dialogue between the different administrative levels.  Another issue of the highest priority is a continuing financial incentive in line with the recommendations in the ABM Report.

The changes set out in the reform are not without pain, but the overall impression is nevertheless that this is a reform that will bring progress.  The reform has now reached a stage where a clear museum environment is emerging, in line with the aims set out in the ABM Report of achieving fewer but stronger museum units in each county.

The Library Report

ABM-utvikling has been asked by the Ministry for Culture and Church Affairs to produce a report setting out library policies.  Simultaneously with the mandate, a reference group was appointed in June 2004, and the report is due for completion by 1st May, 2006.

The reference group membership is made up of those who are familiar with a library, both from the inside and the outside;  in other words, some know the library as users, both of the academic, special and research libraries and of the public libraries, others are there to represent the owners.  Criticism has been raised in certain quarters of the library sector that those who know the library from the inside – the library employees – are underrepresented in the reference group.  With the Library Report, it is the intention of ABM-utvikling to initiate a process where all those involved in the library sector will have a voice.

The conference of library leaders in October 2004 had as its aim to gather suggestions for inclusion in  the report.  140 participants from the public libraries and the academic, special and research libraries took part in the conference.  The reference group also attended the seminar.  In addition, the group met twice during the autumn to discuss and clarify their task.

It is also important to obtain suggestions from outside specialist
fields, and to this end external reports have been commissioned.  Following external tenders, we have selected a firm of consultants to construct a scenario process with a view to developing future images and strategies.

The final documentation will comprise a descriptive document providing analyses and setting out the challenges, and a strategy document to identify the central strategies for the development of the libraries.

BRUDD – how to present the difficult tales

BRUDD focuses on the difficult, the unpleasant, the concealed, the critical, the taboo-laden, the marginal, the controversial ...

It is the aim of the BRUDD project to challenge the museums to dare to face the difficult issues, to find the courage to be open and ask questions, “to fulfil a problem-oriented societal critical function”, instead of just giving authoritative answers.  The project follows on from work carried out by the Norwegian Museum Authority in the 1990s and from the cultural political guidelines contained in the ABM-Report and the Report to the Storting on cultural policy.

With the BRUDD project we want to pass from word to deed, and to highlight some concrete examples. The project, which started two years ago, involves nine museums and one county council, all working on difficult subject matters or problem oriented dissemination alongside ABM-utvikling.  Some of theassignmentshave been completed, others have undergone changes on the way, and new ones have been added.  Several of the assignments have received funding  from ABM-utvikling.  In 2004, some of the BRUDD assignments have attracted a great deal of attention from outside the sector, among them the plans for an exhibition about Quisling in the Telemark Museum and the wishes of the Falstad Centre to document and highlight parts of its history other than the years it served as a prisoner camp during the War, which have received much media attention and incited debate both locally and nationally.

An ABM Publication of 2005 discussed the BRUDD project, and a conference is planned to present the full scope of the project.  Until now, BRUDD has been a project of the museums sector, but we hope gradually to involve also the archives and the libraries.

Art and Culture in the Classroom

Activities

In 2004, the secretariat of “Art and Culture in the Classroom”, a national initiative for professional art and culture in education in Norway, consisted of two, with Astrid Holen as leader.  Work has largely involved providing information to various organisations, including giving a great number of talks, a restructuring of the web pages, arranging meetings of the networks and the reference group, and other network development and meeting activities, as well as acting as the officials for handling issues for the steering group, the reference group and the ministry.

The secretariat has held frequent meetings with Arnhild Hegtun of the Norwegian Board of Education (previously The Learning Centre) and is in close touch with officials from the Ministry for Culture and Church Affairs.

Members of the steering group are Yngve Slettholm, secretary of state at the Ministry for Culture and Church Affairs, and Helge Ole Bergesen, secretary of state at the Ministry of Education and Research;  it has held three meetings in 2004.

The reference group was created in 2003.  In 2004, its leader was Geir Grav from Åndalsnes Ungdomsskole, and five meetings were held in 2004.  The group has discussed various topics, including different models for the distribution of funding, work on a new curriculum for the primary and lower secondary schools, and competence development and evaluation.

Finances

The surplus from lottery grants to the Art and Culture in the Classroom project in 2004 amounted to NOK 120 million.  These funds have been distributed to regional initiatives (NOK 76 million to the county councils, of which at least one third is passed on to local councils, and NOK 6 million to six science centres across the country).  Other recipients of funding include certain core projects relating to music, acting, visual art, film, and long-term projects.

The project funding has been distributed to central institutions and certain regional activities nationwide.  Some of the funding was advertised publicly and some was handled by intermediary institutions.

20 museums, which have been commissioned with the task of developing historical elements for inclusion in the Art and Culture in the Classroom initiative have received funding from the national budget earmarked for this purpose.
www.denkulturelleskolesekken.no

Norwegian Digital Library

The Norwegian Digital Library is a five-year development programme initiated by ABM-utvikling in 2003 and is financed by project funding from the Authority.  Its vision is ambitious:  The Norwegian Digital Library will provide all the nation’s citizens with easy access to information and sources of knowledge.  In December 2004, Carol van Nuys succeeded Kristine Abelsnes as project leader.

The aims of the Norwegian Digital Library are

• to work from a cross-sectoral perspective by including archives, libraries and museums whenever possible and appropriate,
• to improve the electronic access to contents of high quality,
• to provide simple search facilities reaching across different data bases and resources,
• to develop services that give access to the contents starting from different contexts and in ways that are adapted to the users’ roles and requirements,
• to contribute to the increased collaboration between the providers of content, metadata and services,
• to contribute to the improved exploitation of the combined resources available in archives, libraries and museums,
• to co-operate on both a national and an international level to achieve the highest possible quality of contents and services,
• to ensure that different services are able to communicate by working for the introduction of common standards and directives.

Among the programmes initiated by the Norwegian Digital Library within its area of responsibility are:

Technical Framework

The National Library has been responsible for the so-called Framework project, which has deliberated and advised on certain technical preconditions for the communication between different systems.  The Norwegian Digital Library is a participant in the steering group.

Digitalisation

A working group with participants from across the archive, library and museum sector is carrying out a mapping of the resources available in electronic format, with a view to advising on further work required for conversion to this format.

Gateways

The Norwegian Digital Library is working on a plan for the possibility of co-ordinating the work carried out by the Norwegian libraries that involves search gateways.  A comparison of the gateways BIBSYS and Detektor has started.

Licensing Agreements

ABM-utvikling has appointed a special team to negotiate and develop agreements for library access to various electronic sources such as databases, electronic periodicals and reference works. This work is closely connected with The Norwegian Digital Library’s efforts nationally, and at whose instigation an enquiry into the libraries’ use of consortium agreements has been carried out.

Information and Communication

The Norwegian Digital Library has concentrated its efforts of spreading information about its overall programme using its website.  A pamphlet has also been prepared, the Norwegian Digital Library has been presented at various seminars and conferences, and it has also itself arranged two conferences, “The Digital Pearly Gates” and “Eeenie Meenie”.
www.norskdigitaltbibliotek.no

Some projects that have received funding from ABM-utvikling

Hans Grendahl’s Stereoscopic Images on the Web

The Norwegian Museum of Photography – Preus Fotomuseum  has created an Internet exhibition featuring stereoscopic images by Hans Grendahl (1877-1957).  The photographs depict scenes from the eastern part of Norway and are identified by date and their exact location.
See: www.foto.museum.no/stereo

Smoking – A dying social culture

In conjunction with the introduction of the new law on smoking introduced on the 1st June, 2004, Akershus County Museum prepared an exhibition documenting and amassing objects to describe a social culture which appears to be dying out.  Entitled “No Smoking”, the exhibition opened in Akershus County Museum in October 2004.  An Internet exhibition on the same topic was also prepared in conjunction with Culture Net Norway.

The preservation of electronic archives

“eArkivsamarbeidet” is a joint national development project run by municipal archival institutions, The National Society of Local and Private Archives, the National Archival Services of Norway, and ABM-utvikling.  The transition to electronic archival record keeping is revolutionising the archive sector, bringing both opportunities and challenges.  Quite soon, electronic archives will outnumber print archives.  The project aims to promote the exchange of  both subject specific and technical skills in order to prepare the way for effective and efficient preservation practices reaching across both local and county administrative boundaries.

Ask the Library

Ask the Library is an electronic reference service that allows participants to contact a librarian through a chat function, SMS, or by e-mail/electronic form. The project is an amalgamation of the original Ask the Library and Bibliotekvakta(The duty librarian).

Images of Trondheim

The project Trondheimsbilder (Images of Trondheim) is a true ABM project in the sense that it is a collaborative effort involving all of the constituent sectors, the archives, the libraries and the museums.  The organisers are Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum, the Trondheim City Archives, Trondheim Public Library, and Trondheim University Library.  Combined, these institutions have almost a million historical photographs at their disposal.
See:  www.trondheimsbilder.no

Old handcraft and decorating techniques

Oslo University College’s Faculty of Art, Design and Drama has received funding to create a website describing old handcraft and decorating techniques.  The site is under constant development, but currently covers tempera painting and gilding, leather masks, painting in encaustic, lacquer work and marquetry.

The beginning of life – personal accounts of pregnancy and birth

Why is pregnancy associated with shame?  When is the child given its name and why do pregnant women in the Palestine not eat parsley?  Is childbirth easier in Norway than abroad?  These and many more questions are raised in this exhibition.  Created by the International Cultural Center and Museum (IKM), its aim is to provide everyone, both professionals and the general public, with a better understanding of the issues facing women, be they from a minority or majority background, if they are pregnant and give birth in Norway.

Reaktor

Reaktor is a website with a multi-media content which was developed on behalf of Deichman Library as a contribution to the Norwegian Digital Library.  Among its other purposes, Reaktor can be used to publicize videos, animations and pictures.
See:  www.minreaktor.no

Islam in the land of Chapels

Ryfylke Museum has created the exhibition “Islam in the land of Chapels”.  The museum is actively involved in work related to immigration and integration and wishes to take the work further to look at Islam contrasted with the culture of the Chapel.  The exhibition will go on tour in 2005.