GENERAL INFORMATION

On 2 July 2002, the Executive Board of LIBER, in line with the Copenhagen Principles of 14 May 2002, endorsed the establishment of a Library Security Network to facilitate the exchange of confidential security information among European national, university and other important research libraries with valuable collections. LIBER asked The Royal Library in Copenhagen to establish and run the Network.

Objective

The objective is to create a safe information and communication network, based on email, for European Library Directors and Security Managers.

Membership

Membership is open only to institutions that are members of LIBER and limited to authorised representatives of European research libraries, normally Library Directors and/or Security Managers authorised by their Directors. The number of participants should normally not exceed three per institution. A copy of the online Application Form should be completed by each applicant from an institution. A common ethical code, or guidelines, for the handling and transmission of information will be defined and developed in line with Principle 4 of the Copenhagen Principles. 

Number of institutions

The number of participating institutions will be limited to a total of 200. Participation must be justified on the basis of the importance or value of an individual institution’s collections. 

Use of the Network

Only authorised users, namely those authorised representatives of participating institutions, will have access to the Network and the right to communicate through it to all members.

Network content

Information conveyed through the Network should primarily comprise:
- Warnings of presumed crimes (thefts, mutilations etc.) committed or believed to have been committed
- Reports on incidents of relevance or interest
- Enquiries received, for example, from police and other authorities
- Notices of losses from collections
- Information on the development of security systems. 

Authorisation

When a library wishes to apply to become a member of the Library Security Network, the Director of the Library must appoint a trusted member of staff  with managerial responsibility within the Library's security organisation to act as the Library's liaison officer in the Network.  
The person appointed must then complete the Application Form, giving the details listed below, and send the Application Form by mail or by post to the Library Security Network administrator, Jesper Düring Jørgensen, Chief Security Adviser, The Royal Library, Copenhagen: 
- Full name and title
- Name of institution
- Head of institution
- Name of immediate line manager  
- Your job title in the institution
- Details of your responsibility for security in the institution
- Personal work e-mail
- Institution e-mail
- Website address
- Telephone
- Fax number 
On receipt of these details, the Library Security Network administrator will contact the applicant’s head of institution in order to check and verify the information that has been provided. After successful verification, the applicant will be assigned an ID electronically by the Library Security Network administrator, along with a password and guidelines for the use of the Network.
The applicant will then be able to use the Library Security Network.

Administration

The Royal Library, Copenhagen, has undertaken to act as administrator (i.e. operator) of the Network. This involves:
- Setting up the Network
- Preparing an online application form for membership
- Checking that unauthorised persons do not access the Network, and issuing appropriate warnings should this be attempted
- Maintaining a current email address list of authorised members.