France’s National Library to Outsource Onsite Management of Its IT Systems to Atos Origin

Paris, 29 June 2006 - Atos Origin, a leading IT services provider, has been chosen by the French National Library (BnF) to manage the operation of its IT systems. The four-year, €15-million contract covers all BNF sites (François-Mitterrand, Richelieu, Arsenal, Opéra, Avignon, Marne-la-Vallée and Sablé).

The BnF is the recipient and protector of France’s collective memory and is responsible for transmitting it to present and future generations. Its assets include more than 13 million books and printed documents, 250,000 volumes of manuscripts, 350,000 collections of periodicals, roughly 12 million prints, photographs and posters, over 800,000 maps, two million pieces of sheet music, one million recordings, tens of thousands of video and multimedia documents, and 530,000 coins and medals. In all, the collection represents 250 km of shelving, to which the legal deposit1 adds 4 km a year. Managing the library and its collection and making the works contained within available to the public requires a highly reliable information system. To improve productivity, optimize service, and streamline and secure IT operations, the BnF wanted an outside partner specialised in outsourcing.

“We chose Atos Origin because the company’s proposal met our technical and business criteria,” said Caroline Wiegandt, Deputy Managing Director of Bibliothèque de France. “The technical aspects of Atos Origin’s bid were meticulous and methodical, and the market challenges and goals were thoroughly integrated. In addition, service quality complies fully with CCTP2 requirements, and the Company’s commitments and service levels are clearly defined.”

Under the terms of the contract, Atos Origin is responsible for all of the BnF’s IT systems, comprising:

* 200 applications and 335 application chains.
* 70 UNIX servers and 180 NT servers.
* A Gigabit Ethernet network / 7,400 100-Mbps desktop connections.
* Nearly 3,900 workstations.
* Ticketing and access control systems for sites open to the public, as well as special audiovisual equipment.

Atos Origin is also responsible for monitoring operation of the automatic document transfer system, which ensures that documents researchers have reserved, either on site or via the Internet, are available when the arrive at the library. Any malfunction in this critical system will be identified and resolved within two hours.

An Atos Origin team is also responsible for managing the electronic transmission of image and sound files to library workstations.

The managed services contract, which includes guaranteed performance objectives, ensures reliable service for BnF employees as well as for members of the general public, estimated at 1,000 researchers, 2,600 readers and 20,000 Web-users a day. Full-time teams at the François-Mitterrand and Richelieu libraries work closely with BnF staff, monitoring service quality and responding as needed.

“This managed services contract enables us to deliver high quality service to BnF readers while providing the Networks & Services Division with a long-term contract in line with its improvement objectives,” said Frédéric Glaudot, Deputy General Manager Outsourcing for Atos Origin in France.



1) In 1537, King François I issued an ordinance requiring printers and booksellers to send a copy of any book printed and sold in the kingdom of France to the royal library. This is called the legal deposit, a practice that continues today and has been extended to include periodicals, CDs, DVDs and other audio and video media, and, more recently, websites.

2) CCTP – French system of technical specifications for government contracts.



About Bibliothèque nationale de France
The BnF today
Created from the merger of the former Bibliothèque Nationale and Etablissement Public de la Bibliothèque de France, the BnF manages its collections and carries out its missions on several sites:

* The François Mitterrand Library (printed documents, periodicals, audiovisual and digital documents).
* The Richelieu Library (manuscripts, prints, photographs, maps, coins, medals and ancient objects, music and performing arts).
* The Arsenal Library.
* The Opera Library Museum (music).
* Maison Jean Vilar in Avignon (theater).
* The Bussy Saint-Georges conservation center.
* The Joel-Le-Theule conservation center in Sablé.


About Atos Origin
Atos Origin is an international information technology services company. Its business is turning client vision into results through the application of consulting, systems integration and managed operations. The company’s annual revenues total more than €5.5 billion and it employs over 47,000 people in 40 countries. Atos Origin is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Games and has a client base of international blue-chip companies across all sectors. Atos Origin is quoted on the Paris Eurolist Market and trades as Atos Origin, AtosEuronext Market Solutions, Atos Worldline and Atos Consulting.

Contact Information

Anne de Beaumont

Media contact

Atos Origin

Contact via E-mail