Stichting Bibliotheek.nl is the Dutch foundation that aims to expand and manage the Digital National Library. The foundations work is commissioned by the individual local libraries in the Netherlands. Its activities include:

• creating a central portal to boost the visibility of the national library on the internet;

• developing a common information infrastructure that local libraries can connect to;

• implementing digital services;

• collaborate and build relationships with libraries and other organizations within the cultural sector.

One of the projects was implementing a centralized identity and access management infrastructure. The IAM infrastructure aims to hold all users of the national library in the Netherlands, fed by a continuous feed from the local libraries. This way, all Dutch library members can authenticate and use digital services connected to the IAM infrastructure.

In accordance with the guidelines set out by the government for (semi-) governmental institutions, Stichting Bibliotheek.nl gave high preference for Open Source products to implement the IAM infrastructure. The part of the project responsible for implementing the identity management layer was won by Everett that offered a solution based on Apache Syncope. Everett is systems integrator specialized in Identity and Access Management.

The product offers functionality that can compete with commercial products. It is lightweight, scalable and very flexible.

Stichting Bibliotheek.nl is very content with Apache Syncope as a product and intends to extend its services based on it.

SURFnet is a non-profit ‘task organisation’ forming part of SURF, the Dutch higher education and research partnership for ICT-driven innovation. SURFnet’s mission is to improve higher education and research by promoting, developing, and operating a trusted, connecting ICT infrastructure that facilitates optimum use of the possibilities offered by ICT.

SURFnet is currently planning how to include Syncope it in its identity management and collaboration middleware for provisioning / deprovisioning needs.