Proportionally, libraries organised more activities related to education and development in 2021 (61.5 thousand) and less related to reading promotion and introduction to literature (51.2 thousand), compared to 2020. Activities in other forms, such as online meetings or contact by telephone, decreased compared to 2020. The number of activities in physical form did increase slightly, to 118 thousand activities. In total, Dutch libraries organised about 136 thousand activities in 2021. Furthermore, libraries found it harder to establish contact with schools and other partners. It was also more difficult to provide help with, for example, tax returns. In 2021, 443 IDO locations helped citizens with 22 thousand questions.Īs was the case in 2020, libraries were able to organise fewer activities in 2021. Such information points can now be found in libraries throughout the Netherlands, where citizens who have questions about digital matters can turn to. They did this mainly at Digital Government Information Points (Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid IDO). Approximately 9 out of 10 library organisations provided information when corona measures were in effect, for example about QR codes or vaccination appointments. Help with digital questions was another service with which libraries aided many citizens in corona year 2021.
Over three-quarters of libraries (77%) delivered materials to members’ homes. At nearly all libraries (96%) members were able to pick up books and other materials. In that period, libraries still tried to serve their members as well as possible. As a result, public libraries had to remain closed for part of the year. The fact that more library members used the online Library in 20 can most likely be attributed to the measures surrounding the coronavirus. In total, about 5.4 million e-books and 1.9 million audiobooks were borrowed in 2021. In 2021, the online Library app contained 35.6 thousand e-books and 7.8 thousand audio books. Active accounts are accounts with which at least one e-book or audiobook is borrowed annually. In 2021, 366 thousand library members actively used their account for the national public library (the Dutch online Library). Nonetheless, more libraries offered assistance with digital matters than in the preceding year. As a result, they could receive fewer visitors and organise less activities. Due to the coronavirus measures, libraries had to remain closed for part of the year. The KB conducted this study in cooperation with the Association of Public Libraries of the Netherlands (VOB), the Foundation of Cooperating POIs in the Netherlands (SPN) and Statistics Netherlands (CBS). This is one of the conclusions of research carried out by the KB, National Library of the Netherlands, into the state of Dutch public libraries in 2021. 84% of online library accounts borrowed at least one e-book or audio book. The national digital public library was used well in the Netherlands last year.
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