De Bibliotheek

What De Bibliotheek does

Bibliotheek Gooi+ (De Bibliotheek) is a regional public library system serving the Gooi region of the Netherlands, operating as a municipal/governmental entity rather than a commercial enterprise. Its legal name is Bibliotheek Gooi+, and it functions through 7 full library branches (Bussum, Eemnes, Huizen, Laren, Loosdrecht, Muiden, Naarden) plus 2 service points (Muiderberg and Nederhorst den Berg). The core offering consists of physical book and media lending and digital content (e-books and e-content), delivered through the OCLC WISE library management platform and the Wise App for mobile access. Members authenticate digital lending on e-readers via ByteBooks following the June 23, 2026 transition away from Adobe ID.

Beyond traditional lending, Bibliotheek Gooi+ delivers a broad portfolio of educational and community services. These include online courses (Online Cursussen), walk-in consultation hours (Spreekuren) covering tax assistance, the Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid (IDO) for digital government information, the VoorleesExpress reading-aloud volunteer program, sector-specific education offerings (childcare, primary, secondary, and Cultuur in de klas Huizen), the Vakantielezen children's reading program, summer workshops (e.g., TikTok content creation, voice-acting), room rental (Ruimte Huren), exhibitions (Exposeren), and printing services (ELSA). Customer segments are organized horizontally across Children (ages 0–12), Youth (12–18), Adults, and Educational Institutions.

The business model is anchored in municipal public funding rather than commercial revenue. Fee-based ancillary services — memberships/abonnementen, printing (ELSA), room rental, and exhibitions — supplement the public mandate. Distribution is hybrid: physical branches act as primary access points, supplemented by self-serve online services through the website and mobile apps, plus community outreach programs. The marketing motion relies on organic social channels (TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), email newsletters, website content, and event/workshop-based engagement. As a public-service entity, Bibliotheek Gooi+ has no disclosed equity ownership, parent company, funding rounds, or headcount figures.

Name

De Bibliotheek

Legal name

Bibliotheek Gooi+

Website

https://bibliotheekgooienmeer.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bibliotheek Gooi+ is a municipal public library system in the Gooi region of the Netherlands, operating 7 branches and 2 service points to provide physical and digital lending, educational programs, and civic services to children, youth, adults, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

School Library Operations (K–12 Libraries) (EDAEAGAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Book lending services
• Digital lending platform
• Literacy education programs
• Community library services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bussum

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bibliotheek Gooi+ is a regional public library system operating across nine branches and two service points in the Gooi region of the Netherlands. It provides physical and digital lending of books and media, online learning courses, digital government information assistance (IDO), educational programs for childcare and schools, cultural activities, reading promotion (including VoorleesExpress and Vakantielezen), printing services (ELSA), room rental, and exhibition space.

Product overview

Bibliotheek Gooi+ is a regional public library system operating as a multi-location service network with a unified digital platform. The core offering consists of physical library collections and digital content (e-books) accessible across 9 branch locations and 2 service points. The portfolio includes core lending services (physical and digital), digital education (Online Cursussen, Spreekuren), specialized programs (VoorleesExpress, Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid), educational sector services (Educatie Aanbod for childcare and schools), community engagement (Activiteiten, Vakantielezen reading program), and auxiliary services (room rental, exhibitions, printing with ELSA, mobile apps). The OCLC Wise platform provides the catalog and member account access, while ByteBooks handles e-reader e-book integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VoorleesExpress: Reading aloud program for children and families to promote reading enjoyment

Products and services

• Physical Library Collection Physical book and media lending services available across nine branch locations and two service points in the Gooi region, including Bussum, Eemnes, Huizen, Laren, Loosdrecht, Muiden, Naarden, Muiderberg, and Nederhorst den Berg. Open to library members for borrowing and on-site reading.
• E-book and Digital Content Lending Digital lending of e-books and e-content to library members, accessible via the ByteBooks platform on e-readers (Adobe Digital Editions) and online through the OCLC Wise catalog and account portal.
• Online Cursussen Online learning courses offered through the library's digital education platform, supporting lifelong learning and digital literacy for adult members.
• Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid (IDO) Digital government information point providing citizens with assistance and information about government services and digital government matters.
• Printen met ELSA Printing and photocopying services available at library locations for members and visitors.
• VoorleesExpress Reading-aloud volunteer service that promotes reading pleasure and connects with people, particularly serving childcare and primary education sectors.
• Educatie Aanbod Educational programs offered to various sectors including childcare (Kinderopvang), primary education (Primair onderwijs), secondary education (Voortgezet onderwijs), and Culture in the Classroom Huizen (Cultuur in de klas Huizen).
• Spreekuren (Consultation Hours) Walk-in consultation services including tax assistance sessions and other advisory services offered at library locations for members.
• Activiteiten (Activities) Cultural and educational events and activities including summer workshops, reading programs, and community gatherings hosted across library branches.
• Vakantielezen Vacation reading program for beginning readers in groups 3 and 4, featuring seven themed reading worlds: Adventure Land, Fairy Tale Islands, Animal Kingdom, Sports Mania, Laughter Land, Spooky Coast, and Facts Sea.
• Bibliotheek Apps Mobile and digital applications (including the Wise App) provided by the library for member access, account management, checkouts, and integrated catalog browsing.
• Ruimte Huren Room rental services for events, meetings, and exhibitions at library locations.
• Exposeren Exhibition space services allowing artists and organizations to display works at library venues.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Het Begint met TaalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Since 2026, Bibliotheek Gooi+ has joined Het Begint met Taal, a national language platform. This partnership strengthens their offerings for people learning Dutch and improves language support services.
• OCLC/WISEcoreTechnology or IntegrationLibrary management system providing catalog access, user accounts, and digital lending services through Wise apps platform.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bibliotheek Rotterdam: Rotterdam's municipal public library system provides the same combination of multi-branch lending, digital services, and educational programs to a comparable Dutch regional population. Closely comparable in mission, scale tier, and service model.
• Bibliotheek Utrecht: Utrecht's public library system delivers physical and digital lending, learning programs, and community services across multiple branches in a Dutch municipality — operating under an almost identical model as Bibliotheek Gooi+.
• Bibliotheek Den Haag: The Hague's public library provides the same Dutch public library services — physical lending, e-books, courses, educational programs — across multiple branch locations with comparable governance and funding model.
• Stichting OBA (Amsterdam Public Library): OBA operates the flagship public library network of Amsterdam, providing identical combination of physical lending, e-books, educational programming, and civic services to Dutch residents. The most direct peer in scale and offering mix within the Netherlands.

Others

• OCLC: OCLC provides the WISE library management system, catalog, and digital lending platform that Bibliotheek Gooi+ runs on as core infrastructure. As the underlying technology supplier to most Dutch public libraries including Bibliotheek Gooi+, it is a critical ecosystem participant.
• VoorleesExpress: VoorleesExpress is both a sub-brand of Bibliotheek Gooi+ and a national reading-aloud volunteer program implemented by libraries across the Netherlands. As a partner/co-implementer of one of Bibliotheek Gooi+'s core programs, it is a directly comparable operator in the early-childhood literacy space.

Broad incumbents

• Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB, National Library of the Netherlands): The Dutch national library operates as a broader incumbent across the same library/archives category. While Bibliotheek Gooi+ serves at the regional level, KB sets national standards, hosts shared infrastructure, and influences funding/coordination across regional systems like Bibliotheek Gooi+.
• Bibliotheek.nl: Bibliotheek.nl is the national digital library platform aggregating Dutch public library e-content and online services. It enables cross-library digital borrowing and complements Bibliotheek Gooi+'s offerings in the digital lending space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bibliotheekgooiplus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-bibliotheek_2
• Instagraminstagram.com/bibliotheekgooiplus
• TikToktiktok.com/@bibliotheekgooiplus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about De Bibliotheek