Collaboration between TU CREFM

Within CREFM, the Technical Information Management (TIB) team is responsible for collecting, securing and updating information used in the implementation of maintenance, renovation, sustainability and new construction.

Adriaan Jung, Technical Information Manager: "We've been looking for a while now at how we can scan our documents because requesting them is a barrier. Colleagues often need the documents quickly, and then it costs time and money to retrieve them."

CREFM uses the TU Delft archive in The Hague for its documents. Over the past 100 years, construction and specification drawings have been archived for all the buildings on campus, comprising a staggering 2521 archive boxes. Every week, a request is made by a project manager, for example, who needs a construction drawing. A courier from The Hague delivers the correct documents to Delft. A costly and inefficient process.

Besides scanning the documents, there's also the question of which documents need to be scanned. Adriaan and three colleagues spent half a day exploring the archives in The Hague. Together, they examined everything and determined which types of archive boxes were still in use. It turned out that the contents of a third of the boxes were still current, while two-thirds were outdated. "In the latter category, you might think of drawings of buildings that have already been demolished or are no longer managed by Delft University of Technology."

Once this was determined, Adriaan began searching for a suitable supplier to scan the documents. He worked with the Library's Document Management & Archive (DMA) department. The quotes he received were on the high side, but DMA had a good solution. They happened to already be in contact with Werkse! They guide Delft residents who are distanced from the labor market into suitable employment. Despite all efforts, too many people are still left behind. People who want and are able to work, but are unable to take the step due to their work disability. Werkse! Recently, we also offer scanning services. After several quality checks, the results were found to meet both the requirements of CRE and the Archives Act. The first 182 boxes, containing over 6.200 documents, have now been scanned.

For the TU Delft it is Werkse! A well-known party. TU Delft is aware of its social role within the municipality of Delft and the surrounding area. Monique van Ewijck, Project Leader of the Implementation of the Participation Act at TU Delft: “We have now filled 72 jobs within TU Delft through the Jobs Agreement and aim to grow to 234 jobs by 2025. The employees at Werkse! “We naturally include those who carry out the scanning work for us towards this objective.”

A team of eight people is working for CREFM. Frank Jutte and Ingrid Bruijnius have scanned a considerable number of documents for CREFM over the past three months. The work must be carried out carefully because it often involves waste paper. Before scanning, they carefully check whether the paper is properly picked up by the scanner. The team uses three different types of scanners suitable for the document: a book, a stack of paper with a staple, or working drawings. Ingrid:

We work carefully. We first mask off all the tears, especially along the edges. Sometimes a drawing is as wide as 3 meters. In those cases, we work in pairs. One scans, and the other unfolds and refolds the drawing. It's also important that the drawing is straight. "Otherwise, you get black edges," says Ingrid. Frank also enjoys his work. He has great colleagues, and the work is varied because you deal with different types of documents. He scans for CREFM on Wednesdays and Thursdays and hopes to continue doing so for a while.

Adriaan: I love that this project is so much more than just scanning a document. It means a huge efficiency boost for CREFM, employment for people who have difficulty finding work elsewhere, and I'm getting to know new people both inside and outside TU Delft. It's also a great opportunity for me to demonstrate my ability to coordinate a project involving so many parties!