Since the establishment of the KEK in 2011, we have been engaged in creating structural networks. In addition to cooperations across German regions, professional disciplines and funding bodies, we promote the sharing of knowledge an data on preservation. To that end, we organise regular specalist events: 

In February 2013, we released a letter requesting the nomination of regional experts in archival and library preservation. In parallel, the BKM nominated experts in federal institutions. With the help of this network of specialists, the flow of information across regions and disciplines is improving, allowing for strategic steps to be taken collaboratively. 

The personal exchange of knowledge and ideas is enabled by the annual Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue, which is held at the State Library of Berlin – Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. 

  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue I on 18 June 2013
  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue II on 17 February 2014
  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue III on 22 February 2016
  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue IV on 8 March 2017
  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue V on 15 March 2018
  • Special Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue on 17 January 2019
  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue VI on 28 October 2019
  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue VII on 26 October 2020
  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue VIII on 21 September 2021
  • Germany-Wide Expert Dialogue IX on 26 October 2022

Since 2019, we have been holding annual meetings with representatives of the regional divisions responsible for archives and libraries. Focussing on the BKM Special Programme, the meeting provides regional administrations with a forum for discussing their own preservation programmes in conjunction with federal funding.

Since 2014, we have been organising annual closed-door meetings in which representatives of the three national committees for preservation discuss specialist topics (Federal Conference of Municipal Archives at the Association of German Cities, Conference of Directors of Federal and Regional Archival Administrations and Commission on Preservation in Section 4 of the German Library Association).

We also support the development of preservation initiatives across German regions. Short-term programmes are insufficient to permanently protect written materials. That is why we actively encourage the foundation of regional preservation offices and promote exchange among regional actors.