At the initiative of a group of data specialists, an information meeting was held in June 2004 to promote the Project Preservation of Suriname Literature. This means working on central availability of data on our country. In close collaboration, data on Suriname has been centralized digitally, so as to offer online data on Suriname that is present in the country itself.
The study group Nationale Database Suriname was installed officially on October 26, 2004 by Dr. Gregory Rusland, President of the Board of the Anton de Kom University of Suriname at that time.
Members of this study group were:
• Mr. John Hermelijn (Telesur)
• Mrs. Olga Jannasch-van ‘t Noordende
• (Library of State Oil Company)
• Mrs. Hilde Neus-van der Putten (Suriname Museum Foundation)
• Mrs. Lettys Pollack- Leeflang (Library of the Central Bank van Suriname)
• Mrs. Jane W.F. Smith (Library of the University of Suriname)
• Mrs. Rita Tjien Fooh- Hardjomohamad (National Archives)
This study group was tasked with creating a form of cooperation between the various information institutes in Suriname in order to centralize, to process for use and to make available for a wider public the documents concerning Suriname. This data was to be consulted online via the website of the National Database Suriname.
The study group has performed the following activities. It has:
• Brought about contacts with institutes that had previously stated to be willing to participate in the project.
• Organized a train the trainer course on the processing data for use of documents, for employees of information-institutes.
• Designed a protocol of the agreements between the participating agencies.
• Organized the realization of the website.
The University Library held the train the trainer course, and 28 employees of several information institutions were taught the skills to process for use documents present at their institute. The University Library is the National Coordinator, responsible for technical assistance and for uploading the data.
The Protocol with agreements with respect to the realization and maintenance of the National Database Suriname was signed on March 22, 2005. The information institutions have committed themselves that in a uniform matter the data processed for use for the National Database Suriname is offered to the University Library.
The National Database is open for everyone who surfs the Net for data with respect to Suriname.
In 2009, the management structure was transformed into a foundation.
The goal of the NDS Foundation is to centralize and optimize all bibliographic information from and about Suriname in order to make this information accessible to a wider audience. It endeavors to achieve this goal by organizing educational, informative and recreational activities and maintaining contacts with relevant institutions.