Introduction

Danish Agency for Libraries and Media is an agency under the Ministry of Culture and the central government organ for libraries and media. The Agency handles a number of administrative tasks in relation to the libraries, including administration of the Act regarding library services. Likewise, the Agency deals with development tasks in association with the libraries’ activities and administrates a number of subsidy schemes within the library area.

The Agency was founded as the State Inspectorate of Public Libraries in 1920 with tasks related to the public libraries. In 1986 the Agency merged with The Office of the National Librarian, thereby being allocated coordinating tasks regarding the research libraries. In 1997 this office gained status as an agency entitled Danish National Library Authority. In 2008 the Agency merged with The Danish Agency for Media and gained its present name.