New book repository for the KB

The KB, National Library of the Netherlands, is set to build an innovative, new book repository in which the National Library will store the Netherlands’ written heritage safely and sustainably for the foreseeable future. The repository will be built in the Harnaschpolder district of the municipality of Midden-Delfland. We hope to move our heritage collection to the new repository from 2026 onwards. Read all about our new book repository here.

We aim to store the physical collection in a sustainable manner. We intend to achieve this by creating optimal storage conditions for the collection, while minimising our impact on the planet. The new storage facility will be a passive building, without large-scale climate control installations.

Thanks to the use of solar panels, the building will be fully energy-neutral. It will have a low-oxygen environment, making fires impossible. Protection against flooding and climate change has also been taken into account. The collection will be housed above the average sea level. In the construction process, we consider factors such as rising sea levels, extreme heat and heavy rainfall. In this way, the collection will remain safely preserved for the future.

The new storage facility will be located in the Harnaschpolder, separate from the public KB building. To transport requested books to the public KB building, we will use vans. These will be electric vans, ensuring that transport also has minimal environmental impact.

The video series is in Dutch, with English subtitles.

The new storage facility will be automated. Books will be placed in containers, which are stored in high shelving systems. This allows us to store far more books than is currently possible. When a book is requested, a computer-controlled robot retrieves the container containing the book from the shelving system. The robot later returns the container to its place. The British Library, the National Library of Norway and the Speicherbibliothek in Switzerland have been using this system for some time.

People will, of course, always remain essential. Storage staff remove the books from the containers and ensure they are transported. They are also responsible for tasks such as managing the loan administration. The new building will therefore include loading and unloading bays for the vans, a workspace for staff, a meeting room, a lunch area and a technical services room.

This video (in English, without subtitles) explains the system used by the British Library and gives an impression of how it will work at the KB.