Public libraries
Explanation of symbols
Table explanation
This table presents an overview of the number of public libraries, the number of volumes in collections, the number of volumes lent out to the public, registered users, the staff working for public libraries and their operating costs and revenues.
Data available from: 1999.
Status of the figures:
The figures for 2022 are preliminary. All other figures are final.
Changes as of 15 September 2023:
The final figures for 2021 have been published.
The preliminary figures for 2022 have been added.
When will new figures be published?
Preliminary figures for 2023 and final figure for 2022 will be published in July 2024.
Description topics
- Volume collections
- The overall collection including material lent out and specific sub collections for educational purposes, for lending counters in hospitals, homes for the elderly, etc. excluding mobile libraries.
From 2006 onwards there are no figures on magazine single issues and other collections due to a lack of quality in the underlying data. E-books are excluded from these numbers.
More information on the digital public library can be found in the table explanation.- Audiovisual material
- Other audiovisual material
- Microfiches, software, educational material, works of art and small material, (e.g. newspaper cuttings, brochures, wall posters, etc.).
From 2008 onwards including CD-ROMs, CD-Is.
- Other collections
- From 2006 onwards there are no figures on other collections due to a lack of quality in the underlying data.
- Volumes lent out to the public
- Total number of volumes lent out to the public by libraries, excluding mobile libraries and excluding e-books. More information on the digital public library can be found here in the table explanation.
From 2006 onwards there are no figures on magazine single issues and other material due to a lack of quality in the underlying data. In 2008 libraries adjusted their reported data on volumes lent out to the public for the number of extensions of items already lent out. Because of this the number of volumes lent out to the public is somewhat lower than would have been the case without the adjustment.- Total volumes lent out to the public
- The sum of volumes lent out to the public of the sub collections books (excluding e-books), sheet music, audiovisual materials, magazine single issues and other collections.
From 2006 onwards magazine single issues and other material are not included in total volumes lent out to the public.
- Sheet music
- Audiovisual material
- Other audiovisual material
- Microfiches, software, educational material, works of art and small material (e.g. newspaper cuttings, brochures, wall posters, etc.).
From 2008 onwards including CD-ROMs, CD-Is.
- Magazine single issues
- From 2006 onwards there are no figures on magazine single issues due to a lack of quality in the underlying data.
- Other material
- From 2006 onwards there are no figures on other collections due to a lack of quality in the underlying data.
- Libraries by membership fee
- The annual membership fee, if no other costs are charged.
For the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 there are no figures on the annual membership fee due to a lack of quality in the underlying data. From 2008 onwards information on the annual membership fee is no longer gathered.- Other form of membership fee
- Libraries which only charge an annual membership fee in combination with a lending fee per volume.
- Operating costs and revenues
- Operating revenues excluding withdrawals from reserves and negative balances.
Operating costs excluding transfers to reserves and positive balances.- Revenues
- Excluding withdrawals from reserves and negative balances.
- Grants and contributions
- Other grants and contributions
- Revenues from on-charged costs
- Revenues for services (excluding mobile library services) that are not amongst the basic functions of public libraries (e.g. activities, school libraries, renting out spaces).
Until 2004, this topic referred to revenues from provincial library centres for services rendered to associated public libraries and independent libraries.
Until 2004 the number included de revenues of provincial library centres for employed staff, who were lent out on a more or less permanent basis to other libraries.
Starting 2004 the staff that is formally employed by provincial libraries but lent out to other libraries, is regarded as staff employed by these other libraries. As a result of this, the costs of non-employed staff over 2004 are substantially lower than over 2003, as are the total costs over 2004.
At the same time revenues from on-charged costs of staff do no longer occur in the summary of operating revenues. As a result, the total revenues from on-charged costs over 2004 are substantially lower than over 2003, as are the total revenues over 2004.
Also starting 2004, there is no longer a distinction made between the different sources of revenues from on-charged costs.- Other on-charged costs
- Other revenues
- Costs
- Excluding transfers to reserves and positive balances.
- Other costs
- Management and organisation costs, insurances, exceptional costs, etc.