Wilma van Wezenbeek new director of KB, National Library

Wilma studied materials science at TU Delft and started her career in the publishing industry in various roles. From 2011 to 2020, she was the director of the university library at TU Delft. During that period, she implemented many innovations: she was the lead author of the first National Plan Open Science and one of the leaders of the Open Access program line. She also served as director of Student and Educational Affairs at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for over three years. Since July 2023, Wilma has been the Captain of the Transformation Hub Digital Educational Resources at Npuls.

A logical Step
The move from Npuls to KB is a logical one for Wilma. Both organizations have many similarities, Wilma explains: “The great thing is that I already saw connections with KB within the Transformation Hub Digital Educational Resources before I knew I would become the director there. Both Npuls and KB prioritize topics such as sustainable storage, collection formation, and quality assurance. Additionally, we partly share the same target group: lifelong learners, and we both adhere to the principle that what is created with public funds should be shared with the public.”

Challenges and opportunities in her new role
Wilma looks forward to her new role at KB: “For me, the library is a wonderful organization in all its facets. It is the place with an eye and heart for the past, present, and future. As the national library of the Netherlands, KB epitomizes this. There are many exciting tasks to undertake, not only in safeguarding the Dutch written heritage but also in collaborating with public libraries and contributing to the national scientific infrastructure.”

A look into the future: Confidence in the power of the collective
And although Wilma will leave Npuls, she will continue to follow the programme: “I find it so valuable that at Npuls we contribute to knowledge and opportunity equality, and that after having done much in the world of open research, I have now been able to participate in bringing the ambition of open education and digital educational content closer. In the past year that I was associated with Npuls, I have experienced many wonderful moments, both in the programme and at the educational institutions. I have complete confidence in the power of the collective: it is truly unique how public tertiary education in the Netherlands is organized collectively. I recently wrote ‘open education is just education done right.’ Digital transformation is the only way to remain relevant and continue to participate. I’m sure our paths will cross again!”

Left: current general director Lily Knibbeler. Right: Wilma van Wezenbeek.
Photographer: Jacqueline van der Kort