Kluitman publishers
Table of contents
Overview of the Kluitman publishers collection
- Contents: all children's books ever published by Kluitman publishers.
- Size: 5,578 children's books.
- Access: Can be found via the KB catalogue and the Centraal Bestand Kinderboeken(Central Database of Children's Books, CBK). Available for inspection in the Special Collections reading room and the general reading room; cannot be lent out; partially available online.
- More information: Karin Vingerhoets
Contents of the Kluitman publishers collection
The KB received an important gift in April 2011: all of the books from the file copies of the Alkmaar-based publishing house Kluitman. These books feature popular heroes, such as Kruimeltje, Pietje Bell, Dik Trom and Swiebertje, covering both fiction and non-fiction. Some of the books are 150 years old. The gift is an important addition to the KB's children's book collection.
History of the Kluitman publishers collection
The gift was transferred to the KB from publisher Kluitman in April 2011. It consisted of some 6,600 books, most of them in excellent condition. The KB therefore decided not to de-duplicate against the existing collection and accepted a copy of every book, even the ones which the KB already had a copy of in its possession.
The processing of the donation was completed in April 2014. The books can now be found in the catalogue, and are available for inspection by everyone. In addition to the printed books, the KB also has digital versions available. In 2017, the KB and Kluitman signed an agreement to digitise children's books published between 1940 and 2000.
Accessibility of the Kluitman publishers collection
The books are listed in the KB catalogue and the Centraal Bestand Kinderboeken(Central Database of Children's Books, CBK). The CBK contains more than 12,000 Kluitman editions from the KB, as well as other public children's books collections. The books can be inspected in the KB’s Special Collections reading room, as well as the KB's regular reading room. While they are not available for borrowing by customers, museums and other institutions can get them on loan.
The KB catalogue and the CBK contain many links to digitised Kluitman books. This lets you view and read the books on your screen at home. Nearly 4,000 older Kluitman books are freely available to everyone in Delpher. Members of the online Library have access to 400 e-book versions of newer Kluitman titles.
Kluitman's company archive has not been transferred to the KB. Archive records such as cash books, letters and financial documentation of the publishing house are kept in Alkmaar's regional archives.
History of Kluitman publishers
The publishing house Kluitman was founded in 1864 as P. Kluitman. Kluitman's sons joined the business in 1904, and the company name was changed to Gebroeders Kluitman (Kluitman Brothers) in 1909. During World War II, most of the company's archives and file copies were destroyed.
It took archive assistant Emilie Jacobi many years to bring all the Kluitman publications back together. This collection formed the core of the file copies that were handed over to the KB. The company no longer employs any members of the Kluitman family. In 2014, the publisher celebrated its 150th anniversary with a symposium at the KB, a reprint of various classics and an anniversary book.
Literature about the Kluitman publishers' collection (in Dutch)
Book
- Croes, M., Dongelmans, B. (et al.). Het geheim van Kluitman. 150 jaar geschiedenis van een uitgeverij 1864-2014. Uitgeverij Kluitman, 2014.
