Youth memberships at public libraries in the Netherlands reach record high

Public libraries in the Netherlands have grown in popularity, if the number of memberships is anything to go by. The national library of the Netherlands, also known as the KB, and Statistics Netherlands (CBS) have reported that 2024 saw the number of youth memberships at libraries reach a record high. 

Public libraries in the Netherlands see spike in memberships

The most recent figures from the KB and CBS have revealed that 2,4 million children and young people under the age of 18 were members of a public library in the Netherlands for 2024 - 73 percent of all youth in the country. “Never before have so many children and young people been members of a public library,” wrote the KB in a press release.

“In an age where smartphones and social media are increasingly demanding young people's attention, that's a significant achievement,” said director of the Association of Public Libraries (VOB) Klaas Gravesteijn. Programmes such as Library at School (de Bibliotheek op school) and BoekStart are cited as the reasons for the success. 

These programmes not only promote reading in schools, but also encourage parents and caregivers to read with their children at home, in the library and in childcare from the time that they are babies. “Our ambition is to reach all children, both in the neighbourhood and at school. With our collection, cultural offerings, creative labs, and study spaces, the library is indispensable for the development of our youth,” continues Gravesteijn.

Since July 1, 2022, anyone in the Netherlands under the age of 18 can sign up for a free library membership. More and more libraries are also offering discounted or free memberships to people aged 18 and over.

Dutch residents read more books from libraries

The number of memberships among young adults up to the age of 30 also went up, bringing the total number of library members to 3,7 million. This means more than one in five people living in the Netherlands were library members in 2024. 

With how popular technology is, having an online library has proven useful as 5,8 million e-books and over 2,6 million audiobooks were borrowed from Dutch libraries. Both numbers are higher than in previous years, showing that digital usage has improved since before the pandemic.

Increasing number of organised activities at Dutch libraries

In 2024, libraries across the Netherlands organised almost 398.000 activities - an 18 percent increase compared to the previous year. More than half of these activities were focused on education and development, including courses on digital skills, sessions for practising learning a new language, and media and digital literacy sessions.

5,4 million people attended the library activities. “This demonstrates that libraries are increasingly fulfilling their role as a central place in society: a meeting place where learning, reading, culture, and connection converge,” wrote the KB.

The number of workers and volunteers at Dutch libraries also rose, by 4 percent and 6 percent respectively, which according to the KB further emphasises “the importance of libraries to society”.