As early as the 1970s, it was decided that LIBIS's services could be offered to other organisations. By working together, investments could be spread and accelerated. By sharing hardware, building a specialised team and sharing knowledge and expertise, the total cost of ownership could be reduced. In this way, services could be expanded and investments made in data quality. The same arguments still apply, which is why LIBIS continues to look for collaborations and why we continue to invest in our LIBISnet, Lias and Heron networks.