Updated as from the board meeting on 27^th Feb., 2007

The role of ABM-utvikling

ABM-utvikling is the advisory and executive organisation of the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs for the specialist fields of archives, libraries and museums.

It is the task of ABM-utvikling to undertake active strategic development work to harmonize, rationalize and strengthen the combined archive, library and museum sector.  The aim is to put the constituent sectors and individual institutions in a better position to solve the tasks that relate to their specialist subjects and to find ways of meeting the new challenges presented by society.  ABM-utvikling participates in all of the tasks that involve the archives, libraries and museums, but it also works across the boundaries of the specialist fields and handles cross-ministerial joint initiatives relating to the archive, library and museum sector.

The selected strategies are determined by the range of tasks and responsibilities given to the archives, libraries and museums in their function as core institutions in our society (for instance from various Reports to the Storting), and also by the values that the combined sector represents through its activities and the new demands placed on the sector by today’s information society.

Areas targeted for special attention from 2007-2010

It is the task of ABM-utvikling to promote

• learning, and the spread of culture and knowledge
• the development of digital content and services
• the development and the security of the collections
• innovative thinking and co-operation.

Areas targeted for special attention: (1) Learning, and the spread of culture and knowledge

Aim:   The archives, libraries and museums are to contribute to human learning and the spread of knowledge and culture.

To achieve this aim, ABM-utvikling will work

1. to strengthen the competence of the archives, libraries and museums to communicate and disseminate information
2. to promote forms of disseminating knowledge and culture that will contribute to the development of, and the raised awareness of, the role of the archives, libraries and museums as core institutions in our society
3. to continue the development of the archives, libraries and museums as institutions of social and cultural inclusion
4. to continue the development of the archives, libraries and museums as service providers for research, education and lifelong learning.

Areas targeted for special attention: (2) Development of digital content and digital services

Aim: The archives, libraries and museums will provide all with easy access to significant materials in a digitized format and will ensure the provision of appropriate digital services.

To achieve this aim, ABM-utvikling will:

1. work to develop digital content and user-friendly digital services for use both within and for outward dissemination from the institutions of the archive, library and museum sector
2. ensure access to the materials of the archive, library and museum institutions through the digitization and preservation of these materials
3. continue to develop the competence required for extending the digital content and digital services in the three constituent sectors
4. ensure the development and use of both national and international standards   for formats, metadata, conversion and digitization (cf. point 3.3)

Areas targeted for special attention: (3)  The collections:  development, security and access

Aim: The administration of the collections of the archive, library and museum institutions should be subject both to a high degree of subject specialty and long-term planning.  The administration of the collections covers the purchase and collection, preservation and security, documentation and description, and adaptation assisted by the joint use of resources.

To achieve this aim, ABM-utvikling will:

1. strengthen the planning process for the administration of   the collections in the institutions
2. continue to develop the competence of the archive, library and museum institutions to maintain a planned approach to the administration of the collections
3. ensure the development and use of national and international standards

Areas targeted for special attention: (4) Co-operation and innovative thinking in organization and network building

Aim: The archive, library and museum institutions should have appropriate access to subject specialist competence and other important resources, both through their own organization and through specialist subject networks.

To achieve this aim, ABM-utvikling will:

1. draw attention to the role of the archives as important institutions in our society and to the challenges they face, thereby creating the basis for a national archival policy which will also include the private archives
2. develop the libraries by following through the recommendations in the Library Reform 2014report and continue to work on the creation of the project Library Norwayby strengthening the libraries and expanding the library networks
3. develop the museums by following through the recommendations of the Museum Reformreport, including the consolidation and the building of national networks, furthermore contributing to the organizational development of the institutions
4. strengthen co-operation between the archives, libraries and museums through joint ventures and the development of networks
5. Strengthen co-operation and joint ventures between the regions.