The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) Consortium is thrilled to announce the KB National Library of the Netherlands as its newest full member. The KB plays a pivotal role as one of the sectoral hubs within the Dutch Digital Heritage Network, an initiative that fosters collaboration and enhances the societal impact of digital heritage collections in the Netherlands.
“The leadership role that KB National Library of the Netherlands plays in both the Netherlands and the world makes them a natural partner for the IIIF Consortium,” noted Martin Kalfatovic, IIIF-C Managing Director. “In tandem with the community and collections of the other institutions represented by the Dutch Digital Heritage Network, they will further expand the implementation of IIIF and elevate its profile.”
The Dutch Digital Heritage Network, through its National Digital Heritage Strategy, seeks to digitally connect heritage collections across the country, maximizing their value for various communities and audiences. By bringing together heritage-focused institutions, the Network aims to reinforce the social relevance of heritage collections through shared strategies and digital innovation.
Since its inception in 2015, key national institutions—such as the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Humanities Cluster, the National Library (KB), the National Archives, the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision, and the Cultural Heritage Agency—have driven the development of the Dutch Digital Heritage Network. These sectoral hubs work alongside other organizations to create a unified and accessible heritage landscape.
The KB, as part of this network, is committed to making its collections accessible in line with the National Digital Heritage Strategy, which emphasizes open access through Linked Data and IIIF standards for all heritage organizations and their technology partners. Through this collaborative approach, the KB not only strengthens its role within the IIIF community in the Netherlands, but also actively engages with the global IIIF community.
For more information, please visit the Dutch Digital Heritage Network.
About the International Image Interoperability Framework
IIIF is a set of open standards for delivering high-quality, attributed digital objects online at scale. It’s also an international community developing and implementing the IIIF APIs. IIIF is backed by a consortium of leading cultural institutions.In addition to supporting the IIIF community financially, these institutions contribute to the APIs, Community Groups, and more.