The extensive reference library, consisting of books, periodicals and separate articles comprises historical and technical specialist literature in the field of the manufacturing, trade and many divergent applications of paper. The books have been classified systematically in a great number of sections and subsections, which have often been categorised according to country. The reference library can be found in the Special Collections Reading Room. Next to the reading room there is a separate study room for the paperhistorical collection. Early printed books from before 1800, valuable as well as limited editions (bibliophilic editions) from the paperhistorical collection are kept in the neighbouring repository.
In this repository the books and collections of paper samples have also been placed. The Department owns, apart from the aforementioned albums with samples of decorated paper, a great number of old and modern sample books and collections. These are often editions in several volumes of a paper dealer, in which paper samples have been included of the entire range of paper available from stock. They have usually been produced in small editions to be used by important customers, such as printing offices. Through use they often got incomplete. Besides, when a new sample collection came out, the old one was usually brought back, to avoid problems as old and new names and order number could easily be confused. For these reasons, and because the paper trade generally did not keep company archives with historical material, old sample books and collections are extremely rare, particularly unused and consequently complete copies.
The collection of separate articles in the reference library comprises copies or offprints from periodicals and other non-separate publications. Originally these articles were placed at the reading room in vertical files, classified alphabetically according to author. Currently, the articles are entered in an automatised database which will considerably improve the accessibility of this important and everincreasing part of the reference library.
The titles of the books, including the sample books and collections, and periodicals have been entered in the automatic catalogue of the KB, and are available online. Eventually these information sources, too, are expected to be indexed more extensively, and will be entered in the database that is already under construction for the separate articles.