bibliotheekinfrastructuur

Bibliotheekinformatica is a field at the intersection of librarianship, information science, and information technology. It focuses on organizing, storing, retrieving, and providing access to information resources in physical and digital formats. Practitioners work in libraries, archives, information centers, and digital repositories, supporting research, learning, and knowledge discovery. Core activities include collection development, cataloging and metadata creation (for example using MARC21 and Dublin Core), information retrieval, and reference services. The field also covers library management systems, digital libraries, user interfaces, information architecture, and data management, including preservation and access to digital objects. It addresses open access, copyright, information literacy, and user-centered service design. Emerging topics include semantic technologies, AI-assisted discovery, and data curation for research data management.

Education in bibliotheekinformatica is offered as bachelor's and master's programs in the Netherlands and Belgium, and under related names in other countries. Curricula typically combine information science concepts with IT skills, such as database design, programming basics, metadata standards, information retrieval, library management, digital preservation, and project management. Internships and practical training are common.

Graduates work as librarians, information specialists, metadata librarians, digital archivists, data stewards, records managers, or information consultants. They may manage catalogs, design user interfaces, curate digital collections, implement LMS and repository platforms, or lead digitization and preservation projects. The field emphasizes information literacy and user-focused services.

Related disciplines include bibliotheks- and information science, information studies, and archival science. The term bibliotheekinformatica is commonly used in Dutch-speaking contexts; in other regions the field may be referred to as library and information science or information management.