1996 - The beginning
The Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science appointed an IT working group in May 1996. Its purpose was to carry out an investigation of the conditions related to the development of a range of research libraries into electronic research libraries. The idea was to establish "Denmark's Electronic Research Library", via a network of cooperating electronic research libraries.

1997 - The progress and the DEF appropriation
In February 1997, the "DEF report" was published with a view to creating a basis for a joint effort for the research libraries' IT development. The report described a model of reference for Denmark's Electronic Research Library (DEF) including the essential electronic functions and services to be delivered by the research libraries.

The report served as the foundation for further work with DEF and it also put DEF on the agenda - not only in the library sector but also for the three ministers involved. They recommended that 200 mill. DKK were allocated over a five-year period towards the realisation of DEF.

1998
The DEF Steering Committee was appointed in January 1998. The result of the first nine months was a general concept for the DEF project, including the DEF vision, the DEF strategy and a development plan as well as a budget for the future main action lines. On that basis, the secretariat composed the first detailed perspective plan.

In December, DEF calls for suggestions to projects within the strategic action lines. The projects are to be based on principles associated with a funding policy.

1999
In February 1999, the Steering Committee decided that a fast implementation of the DEF vision was required. The following three transverse DEF projects were initiated:

• DEF portal (web access)
• DEF key (user and access administration)
• DEF catalogue (Z39.50, DanBib, etc.)

DEF wanted to create an organised entry to the shared information resources and to concretise DEF as a tool that would be visible and accessible for the users of the Internet. A working group prepared a report on which to base an estimate and a decision on the necessity of a Danish research database and a future concept.

2000
In January, Niels Christian Nielsen leaves as chairman of the Steering Committee and Kim Østrup, director in IBM DK, takes over the vacant seat in September 2000.

In 2000, the DEF project clearly shows itself to be in the forefront, spearheading the development of electronic services.

The research database is to be developed in terms of a collected access to Danish research which will make the database an essential element in the mediation - both nationally and internationally - of Danish research and its results. The database must, among other things, contribute effectively to transfer of knowledge from public research institutions to the private business sector.

2001
The work concerning "DEF after DEF" is commenced. An organisational model for DEF after 2002 is described. The necessary material is submitted prior to the National Budget late 2001, and the three ministries negotiate this until the call for a general election in October 2001. After the election the Ministry of Education withdraws from DEF.

Download the DEF Review Report.

2002
The government's proposal for the National Budget of 2003 is announced in August 2002. The decision to place DEF on the budget is taken as a recognition of the collaboration and the results that the research libraries have achieved during the DEF project period. The decision is also a political statement, indicating that the collaboration is to be continued and further developed.

The most important news was the re-launch of deff.dk in September, and with that the possibility of location-independent access to electronic journals.

2003
With DEF becoming a permanent activity, the structure of the Steering Committee is changed. The new Steering Committee works out new perspective plans for DEF and selects six action lines; the six programme areas:

• E-learning
• E-publishing
• Licenses
• Portals
• System architecture
• User facilities

2004
The Ministry of Education re-enters DEFF. The purpose is, among other things, to upgrade and future-orientate business academies and CVU's (Centres of Higher Education) enabling them to fulfil the role as knowledge centres plus enhance the quality of education libraries and their service to students, teachers and external customers. With that DEF is turned into DEFF.