4. Grow and manage the national collection

External construction work around the ASP building will be completed by the end of 2008. Installation of the automated shelving is proceeding, with all aspects of automation work to be delivered by the second half of 2008/09. Integration of the ASP and the Library’s systems is proceeding subject to full testing, and our schedule for moving collections from their existing locations to the Boston Spa facility has been finalised.

The British Library Centre for Conservation was opened on schedule on 17 May 2007. This world-class facility houses the Library’s conservation staff and the British Library Sound Archive’s technical services staff. The project received five ‘green lights’ at the OGC Gateway 4 Review in July. Public tours of the Centre have been hugely popular and work placements relating to the Foundation Degree in Conservation will begin in 2008/09.

Following last year’s major consultation on our content strategy for arts and humanities and social sciences, we have developed our approach and we’re about to publish details online. Our content experts are now assessing research on publications from China and India and on datasets in these disciplines. Our Content Steering Group continues to implement the transition from print to digital collecting of serials and is undertaking an e-books pilot.

We have also developed a vision statement and broad strategy for STM. Work to implement the strategy has begun and website development, content strategy, UK PubMed Central (UKPMC) and the Research Information Centre (RIC) are key priorities. External consultation is planned for early 2008/09. We have delivered reports on reference datasets and we await funding approval for the next phase of UKPMC.