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About us 

The Rotterdam Library consists of the Central Library and 23 district branches.

Ca. 3 million people visit our library each year, which makes it the most popular institution in Rotterdam. With its total surface of 24.000 m² the Central Library is one of the largest in the Netherlands. The Central Library houses a library theatre that stages cabaret performances and literary activities, a café-restaurant Dik T and a Central Discotheque where you can borrow music-CDs and DVDs. Central library

The Rotterdam Library holds:

  • over 1,000,000 books, CD-ROMs, DVDs and videos
  • nearly 100 newspaper titles
  • over 1,500 magazine titles
  • over 300,000 CDs and the same number of LPs in de Central Discotheque
  • more than 3,500,000 items lent out each year.

  • Erasmus Collection

    The most striking part of its collection is the so-called Erasmus Collection; the world’s largest collection ‘about’ and ‘of’ Erasmus and his works. For more information click 'Erasmus Collection' on the right of this page.

    Various activities

    The library is more than a place where you can borrow books. At frequent, regular moments the Library Theatre stages performances and presentations, some of these on the various floors of the Central Library. In addition, many activities are organised by our district branches. Annual highlights are, to name a few, Book Week,  Children’s Book Week and the Readers’ Festival.