Public libraries
Explanation of symbols
Dataset is not available.
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
- Registered users
- Memberships linked to a person. From 2015 onwards, users of mobile libraries are included in this number. Collective memberships (schools, homes for the elderly, etc.), trial subscriptions, and/or other fixed places where books can be lend, are excluded.
- Total registered users
- Young people =< 17 yrs
- Adults >=18 yrs
- 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.
- Revenues from users
- Membership fees plus the fees for lending items of the collections.
- 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.- On-charged costs of media
- Costs
- Excluding transfers to reserves and positive balances.
- Media costs