News item | 01-30-2026 | 3:00 PM
At a time when information and knowledge are becoming increasingly important, the library is invaluable. The government wants everyone to have access to a full-fledged library. To guarantee this, the Library Act will be amended and a duty of care will be imposed on the municipalities and Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. 60 million euros are available per year for this. The amended law now goes to the House of Representatives for legislative consideration; previously the Council of State had no comments on the bill.
Minister Moes of Education, Culture and Science: “Libraries are not just places where books are loaned out, they form the heart of the local community and encourage lifelong learning. We want everyone to be able to go to the library. We do this by adding a duty of care to the Library Act. For example, parents can find books to read at home. And the elderly can take a computer course or meet for a cup of coffee.”
Libraries provide access to books, digital resources, courses and activities. The number of library members has increased in recent years; never before have so many children and young people joined. In 2024, almost three-quarters of all children up to the age of 18 were members of a library, which is free until that age.
The introduction of a duty of care for libraries is the final step in a development that has been going on for some time. An earlier evaluation of the Library Act showed that the number of libraries was decreasing. Many neighborhoods and villages no longer had a branch, or only a collection point for books. Considerable investments have been made in recent years. Municipalities could apply for money for a new or improved library in 2023 and 2024. As a result, 46 new branches have been added in recent years and 100 limited facilities have been developed into full-fledged libraries.
