The Stadsbibliotheek Haarlem (Haarlem Public Library) is a collective name for all

public libraries A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also civil servants. There are five fundamenta ...

in the

Haarlem Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English) is a city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland. Haarlem is situated at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropoli ...

area of the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. The first ''public'' library of Haarlem opened in 1921 at the cloisters of the

Haarlem City Hall The City Hall in Haarlem is the seat of the city's government. It was built in the 14th century replacing the Count's castle. History Around 1100 a wooden building was constructed on the location of the current ''Gravenzaal'' of the City Hall. ...

where the academic library had been since 1821. The move to open its doors to the public with a public reading room was only possible after the previous occupant of the downstairs cloisters, the

Frans Hals Museum The Frans Hals Museum is a museum located in Haarlem, the Netherlands. The museum was established in 1862. In 1950, the museum was split in two locations when the collection of modern art was moved to the '' Museum De Hallen'' (since 2018 called ...

, moved out in 1913 to its present location. As of 2009, there are 6 public libraries and 10 lending points, such as in hospitals.

Historical Collection

In 1596 the Haarlem City council decided to start a library, or ''librije'' as it was then called. This was a collection of books attached by chain to a ''lessenaar'', an elongated

lectern A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon. A lectern is usually attached to a stand or affixed to some other form of support. ...

that held the books below on a shelf. The chain was long enough so that the reader could select a book from below to read while standing. This collection was kept in the

Sint-Bavokerk The Grote Kerk or St.-Bavokerk is a Reformed tradition, Reformed Protestant church and former Catholic cathedral located on the central market square (Grote Markt (Haarlem), Grote Markt) in the Netherlands, Dutch city of Haarlem. Another Haarlem c ...

, where it probably came from (all church property was seized by the city council after the iconoclasm riots of the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

). The books were only available to the few people in possession of a key to the church. Today this older collection of books (everything published before 1900) is kept by the stichting ''Oude Boekerij en Bijzondere Collecties'' (OBBC). This includes a complete series of the

Acta Eruditorum (from Latin: ''Acts of the Erudite'') was the first scientific journal of the German-speaking lands of Europe, published from 1682 to 1782. History ''Acta Eruditorum'' was founded in 1682 in Leipzig by Otto Mencke, who became its first editor, ...

, for example. The oldest items are religious by nature, coming from church holdings prior to 1596. The oldest item is a fragment of the Book of

Psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

, or ''psalterium'', from the 11th century. At what time the collection moved to the city hall itself is uncertain, but this probably happened after 1625, when the collection was expanded with the library of the Commanderij van St. Jan, when all of their property reverted to the state. The first printed catalog of the Haarlem library dates from 1672 and is 35 pages long. By that time the collection was managed by the teachers of the Latin school (today a High School called '' Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem'', and still located next to City Hall). The access to the books was still far from public.

Abraham de Vries

In 1821 the city appointed the first Librarian, Abraham de Vries. He set about establishing an impressive collection of Haarlem historical books, and was especially fond of ''Costeriana''; material relating to the history of

Laurens Janszoon Coster Laurens Janszoon Coster (c. 1370, Haarlem – c. 1440), or Laurens Jansz Koster, is the purported inventor of a printing press from Haarlem. He allegedly invented printing simultaneously with Johannes Gutenberg and was regarded by some in t ...

as the father of the printing press. He also printed a three part catalog of the Library collection. A painting of him hangs in the ''Krijgsraadkamer'', or war-room of the Central library. This room can be hired from the library for meetings or meals, and is also the spot where the historic scene of the ''Damiate'' legend hung for centuries above the fireplace.

Central Library building "De Doelen"

Leus boven de deur van de doelenzaal gasthuisstraat

The largest of the Haarlem lending libraries, the ''Centrale Bibliotheek'', moved to the Doelenplein on the Gasthuisstraat in 1974. The history of this location is older than the collection itself. In 1512 the property was bought for target practise by the

Haarlem schutterij The Haarlem schutterij refers to a collective name for the voluntary civic guard of Haarlem, from medieval times up to the Batavian Revolution in 1794, when the guilds of Haarlem were disbanded. History During the Hook and Cod wars in 1402, Ha ...

. In 1562 the current L-shaped building was finished, and the Civic Guard was painted near the steps in the front by

Hendrik Gerritsz Pot Hendrik Gerritsz Pot (c. 1580 – 15 October 1657 (buried)) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, who lived and painted in Haarlem, where he was an officer of the militia, or ''schutterij''. Dutch artist Frans Hals painted Pot in militia sash in ...

in 1630. Through the window in the painting the rafters can be seen that still grace the ceiling of the study room (see picture), and even a corner of a previous militia portrait. The heroic deeds of the Civic Guard during the

siege of Haarlem The siege of Haarlem was an episode of the Eighty Years' War. From 11 December 1572 to 13 July 1573 an army of Philip II of Spain laid bloody siege to the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands, whose loyalties had begun wavering during the prev ...

are remembered also in the commemorative text above the old hall doorway added in 1772: Translated into English as:

Kenauzaal

Across from this former entrance is the main entrance to an extension that opened in 1974. Between these doorways are the bicycle racks on one side and two older buildings on the other side. One was the workspace used for repairing weapons, and the other was an additional meeting room named ''Kenauzaal'', after

Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer (1526–1588) was a wood merchant of Haarlem, who became a legendary folk hero for her fearless defense of the city against the Spanish invaders during the siege of Haarlem in 1573. Biography She was the daughter ...

, where a painting of her hung from the 17th century until the 19th century. This particular painting of her now hangs in the Haarlem city hall.

Paintings formerly hanging in the library when it was a Civic Guard Meeting hall

File:Capturing Damiate.jpg, A Haarlem ship cuts the chain of the port of

Damietta Damietta ( arz, دمياط ' ; cop, ⲧⲁⲙⲓⲁϯ, Tamiati) is a port city and the capital of the Damietta Governorate in Egypt, a former bishopric and present multiple Catholic titular see. It is located at the Damietta branch, an easter ...

, by Haarlem painter

Cornelis Claesz van Wieringen Cornelis Claesz van Wieringen (c. 1576 – 29 December 1633) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. Biography Van Wieringen was born and died in Haarlem. He was the son of a Haarlem captain, and drew, painted and etched with his friends Hendrick ...

, which once hung in the "Krijgsraadkamer" above the fireplace. File:Hendrik Gerritsz Pot 1630 cluveniersdoelen haarlem.jpg, Haarlem's Civic Guard (the one bearing the flag of St. Adrian) portrait by

in 1630 on what is now library steps. It once hung in the study hall. File:Kenau hasselaar stadhuis haarlem.JPG, Kenau Hasselaar painting that once hung in the entrance

References

* ''De Stadsdoelen'',publication by the Vereniging Haarlem in 1974 on the opening of the new wing of the central library, ediited by C. van der Haar and with a preface by J.J. Temminck, city archivist * Deugd boven geweld, Een geschiedenis van Haarlem, 1245–1995, edited by Gineke van der Ree-Scholtens, 1995,

External links

Official website
{{Authority control 1596 establishments in Europe History of Haarlem Public libraries in the Netherlands Rijksmonuments in Haarlem Buildings and structures in Haarlem