Navigating through the KB

You enter the KB on the ground floor. 

• Take the stairs to the basement to put your coats and bags in the lockers. These are not allowed in the reading rooms, nor are foods and drinks. KB baskets are available in the basement for taking your books, laptops and writing materials to the reading rooms.

The entrance to the reading rooms is on the 1st floor, immediately to the left. Here you will first find the KB Square, an area for relaxation with a cup of coffee.

You may not bring any foods or drinks into the information centre or the KB reading rooms (not even a bottle of water). This is to prevent damage to the books in the reading rooms. There are drinking fountains near the toilets on the way to the reading room.

• You can become a member of the KB or apply for a reading room pass at the reception desk. Bring your identification and (if you want to become a member) an address card. 
• There is also a shop at the reception desk where you can buy KB publications (e.g. books, diaries or postcards).

In the Information Centre on the 1st floor you will find, among other things:

• 65 PCs on which KB members can work and search in all digital sources.
• Scanners.
• A top-up machine to add credit to your pass.
• Adapted workplace for people with a visual impairment.

Through the Information Centre you reach the General Reading Room. There you will find:

• A lending desk where KB members can collect most of the requested publications from the warehouses (in other words, all the material that does not fall under Special Collections). The larger part of the KB collection is in the storerooms and a small part can be found in the reading rooms. 
• An information desk for all your questions about searching for information.
• Reference works (including books and periodicals) on history, language, theology, geography, religion and popular culture. The reference numbers of these reference works always start with LZ. Reference works on the Netherlands can be found on the 2nd floor (Leeszaal van Nederland). The request numbers for these works always begin with NL.
• A room with printers, copy machines and scanners. 
• Tables with sockets for studying with your own laptop.
• Wifi: ask for the log-in code at one of the desks.
• Microfilm room (microfilms and microfiches of newspapers, magazines and books). 
• Quiet area.
• The chess section.

In the reading room of the Netherlands on the 2nd floor you will find:

• A large collection of books about the history, language and culture of the Netherlands. You can take these books out of the bookcase to look at them. The request numbers of these books always start with NL.
• A reading table with newspapers and magazines.
• Current volumes of magazines in the field of history, architecture and social sciences, among others.
• The law department.
• Theme pavilions on important subjects from Dutch history to explore and discover. Think for instance of subjects such as the colonial past, migration, the Netherlands & Orange and religion in the Netherlands.

The Special Collections Reading Room is a separate room where KB members can consult fragile and valuable documents. All publications whose request number begins with KW, as well as other special materials, such as newspapers, and large formats, are issued here for consultation. Special Collections has its own opening hours and rules. 

You will also find a hand library with books and periodicals on Special Collections. The request numbers of these works always start with LHO, BAND or PC:

• Catalogues of our own collections
• Catalogues of special collections from other libraries in the Netherlands and abroad
• Studies on the science of manuscripts (book illumination, codicology and palaeography)
• Studies on book science (analytical bibliography)
• Studies on bookbinding, paper history and conservation
• Studies on children's books
• Manuals of graphic techniques

Equipment

The Special Collections Reading Room has a watermark and UV lamp. You may take pictures of material without flash for your own use. There is a tripod.