Kinderzwerfboek
Kinderzwerfboek is a Dutch non-profit operating a free physical children's book-sharing network of 3,000+ stations across the Netherlands, serving children aged 0–12 — especially those in disadvantaged neighborhoods — and funded entirely by donations, publisher contributions, and lottery/corporate partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersDeventer, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Kinderzwerfboek does
Kinderzwerfboek is a Dutch non-profit charitable initiative founded in May 2010 by Leo Dijkgraaf and gifted to Stichting Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp for its 50th anniversary, with Princess Laurentien giving the launch signal. The organization operates a free physical children's book-sharing network across the Netherlands, anchored by 3,000+ KinderzwerfboekStations embedded in schools, hospitals (e.g., Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis WKZ), community centers, churches, libraries, and retail locations including 55 HEMA stores. Each book is marked with a zwerfsticker and a five-character zwerfcode, allowing children to take books home for free, re-release them, and optionally track the book's journey online; since launch, millions of books have circulated, with 200,000+ books set loose per year as of 2021.
The core operational stack combines a website-based tracking and registration system with a volunteer-managed logistics network. Boekenpakketten (book packages) are assembled at a dedicated warehouse in Beusichem and distributed twice yearly to replenish stations, while DHL provides ServicePoint collection infrastructure and co-organizes the annual Kinderzwerfboekdag. The technology is intentionally lightweight: there is no proprietary AI/ML platform, no commercial app, and no e-commerce — the moat is the physical network and volunteer ecosystem rather than software. Operations are supported by 14 staff coordinating 50+ Regional Ambassadors, KindAmbassadeurs, and thousands of StationsChefs.
Kinderzwerfboek is fully donation-funded: individuals, companies, publishers, and lottery partners provide one-time or recurring financial contributions, with publishers also donating new books (often via the Centraal Boekhuis tax-efficient channel). Pricing is free for all end users — books, stickers, and station registration carry no charge, with voluntary contributions toward packing and shipping costs welcomed. The target beneficiary segment is Dutch-speaking children aged 0–12, with deliberate prioritization of aandachtswijken (disadvantaged neighborhoods), where lack of books at home correlates with language delays (17% of Dutch primary school leavers) and reduced educational attainment.
Kinderzwerfboek firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kinderzwerfboek
- Legal name
- Stichting Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp
- Website
- https://kinderzwerfboek.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kinderzwerfboek is a Dutch non-profit operating a free physical children's book-sharing network of 3,000+ stations across the Netherlands, serving children aged 0–12 — especially those in disadvantaged neighborhoods — and funded entirely by donations, publisher contributions, and lottery/corporate partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kinderzwerfboek industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Literacy Services
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Libraries and Archives (51921)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO)
Keywords
Where Kinderzwerfboek is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Deventer
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Kinderzwerfboek business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and charitable contributions: Kinderzwerfboek is fully funded by donations from individuals, companies, publishers, and partners. The organization receives no revenue from product sales — children's books are given away free of charge. Financial contributions come via one-time or recurring donations (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual) through the website, as well as in-kind donations of books from publishers and companies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free access for all children and families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kinderzwerfboek product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kinderzwerfboek operates a nationwide physical children's book-sharing network in the Netherlands, giving free 'zwerfboeken' (roaming children's books) to children aged 0-12 through more than 3,000 KinderzwerfboekStations located in schools, community centers, healthcare facilities, and retail stores. Each book is identified by a Zwerfsticker and tracked online via a five-character Zwerfcode so children can follow the book's journey. Stations are stocked twice yearly via Boekenpakketten (book packages) donated by publishers and partners.
Product overview
Kinderzwerfboek operates a book-sharing network for children in the Netherlands. The core offering consists of physical KinderzwerfboekStations (book exchange points) distributed throughout the country where children can freely take or deposit children's books marked with Zwerfstickers (roaming stickers). Each tagged book contains a Zwerfcode (roaming code) that can be tracked through an online system. The Boekenpakketten (book packages) are distributed twice yearly to replenish stations. Users interact with the platform through the website to request stickers, register codes, track book journeys, and manage stations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- KinderzwerfboekStations Physical book-sharing locations (shelves, cabinets, or boxes) across the Netherlands where children can drop off or pick up free wandering children's books. Stations are managed by volunteer StationsChefs and are hosted at schools, community centers, libraries, healthcare facilities, retail stores (e.g., HEMA), churches, dentists, playgrounds, and other child-friendly locations. There are 3,000+ stations across all 12 Dutch provinces.
- Zwerfboeken (Roaming Books) Children's books marked with a special Zwerfsticker that says 'Neem me mee!' ('Take me with you!'). Children can take the books home free of charge to read; when finished, they let the book roam on to another child via a KinderzwerfboekStation. The initiative's stated goal is to keep more than a million books roaming at any time.
- Zwerfstickers (Roaming Stickers) Special free stickers provided by Kinderzwerfboek that mark a book as a roaming book (zwerfboek), signaling that any child can take it for free and let it continue roaming when finished. Stickers are issued on request via the website.
- Zwerfcodes (Roaming Tracking Codes) Five-character codes written on stickers inside each roaming book that allow children, parents, schools, and stations to track a book's journey through the Kinderzwerfboek website. Codes are issued on request via the website.
- Boekenpakketten (Book Packages) Twice-yearly packages of new children's books assembled at the Kinderzwerfboek warehouse in Beusichem and distributed to KinderzwerfboekStations to keep them stocked with roaming books. Sourced from publisher donations (including a tax-free donation channel via Centraal Boekhuis) and other donors.
- Zwerftocht Volgen (Book Journey Tracking) Online platform where children, parents, and schools can enter a book's five-character zwerfcode to see where the book has roamed and who has read it. Includes login/account creation, including class accounts for schools to track books collectively.
Quantifiable outcome
- Children with books at home go to school 3 years longer on average than peers without books
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kinderzwerfboek
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kinderzwerfboek technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Kinderzwerfboek partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- VoorleesExpresscoreThe VoorleesExpress sends volunteers to read aloud to children with language delays, visiting children at home for half a year. Volunteers often bring a zwerfboek so children can also read independently. This partnership directly serves Kinderzwerfboek's mission in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
- LemniscaatcoreLemniscaat is one of the oldest and most well-known children's book publishers in the Netherlands. They regularly donate beautiful picture books to Kinderzwerfboek, and they collaborate on campaigns to spread books.
- VriendenLoterijflagshipParticipants in the VriendenLoterij raise millions for Dutch charities focused on welfare and health. VriendenLoterij presented Kinderzwerfboek with a substantial cheque to expand the station network and promote reading, and has supported multiple times.
- DHLflagshipDHL makes its service point network available for book collection and opened 3 dedicated KinderzwerfboekStations at DHL Parcel locations. DHL also uses its logistics expertise to organize the annual Kinderzwerfboekdag. In 2023, DHL and volunteers packaged and shipped 1,500+ book packages during the Kinderboekenweek campaign.
- Centraal BoekhuiscorePublishers may donate children's books tax-free through Centraal Boekhuis when those books are destined for Kinderzwerfboek. This enables a large volume of new books to reach the organization efficiently.
- Books Away From HomeminorBooks Away From Home believes all refugee children deserve books in their mother tongue. They have donated 20,000 books to support this mission, extending Kinderzwerfboek's reach to refugee communities.
- Uitgeverij ZwijsencoreSince 2013, Zwijsen has collaborated with Kinderzwerfboek, regularly donating new children's books for distribution through the station network.
- HEMA FoundationcoreThe HEMA Foundation opened KinderzwerfboekStations in 55 HEMA stores across the Netherlands. Customers can donate read children's books and take books home free of charge, encouraging parents to read and discuss books with their children.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kinderzwerfboek competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Reach Out and Read: US non-profit promoting early literacy through pediatricians giving books to children at well-child visits. Comparable in targeting disadvantaged children with free books and partnering with healthcare providers (Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis hosts a KinderzwerfboekStation).
- First Book: US non-profit distributing free and low-cost new books to children in low-income communities. Comparable model: publisher donations, distribution to schools/community organizations, focus on disadvantaged children.
- Little Free Library: US-based non-profit running a global network of small free book-exchange libraries. Directly comparable in concept: physical community-hosted book-sharing stations offering free books, volunteer-driven, and mission-driven around literacy access.
- BookCrossing: Worldwide book-sharing community where individuals 'release' books for others to find and track via unique IDs. Closely mirrors Kinderzwerfboek's zwerfcode tracking concept, though it is adult-focused and online-first.
- VoorleesExpress: Dutch volunteer-based program sending adults to read aloud to children with language delays in their homes. Already a strategic partner of Kinderzwerfboek, sharing the same target audience and literacy-improvement mission.
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: US charity gifting free age-appropriate books monthly to children from birth to age five. Highly comparable in mission (free books to children to improve literacy outcomes) and partner-driven book supply.
Broad incumbents
- Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp: Parent foundation of Kinderzwerfboek (since 1959), supporting Dutch children growing up in poverty. Operates in the same child-welfare domain and shares the donor base and infrastructure with Kinderzwerfboek.
- Room to Read: Global non-profit focused on children's literacy and gender equality in education across low-income countries. Comparable mission around improving child literacy outcomes, though operating internationally with a broader program portfolio.
- Stichting Lezen & Schrijven: Dutch national literacy foundation tackling low literacy across all ages. Operates in the same Dutch literacy-improvement space as Kinderzwerfboek but with a broader, adult-inclusive mandate and policy focus.
Regional players
- Stichting Jarige Job: Dutch charity supporting children in poverty (e.g., birthday packages). Operates in the same Dutch child-poverty alleviation space as Kinderzwerfboek's parent foundation, sharing donor overlap and audience targeting.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kinderzwerfboek social profiles
Digital presenceKinderzwerfboek financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kinderzwerfboek leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Kinderzwerfboek funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kinderzwerfboek M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kinderzwerfboek
What does Kinderzwerfboek do?
Kinderzwerfboek operates a nationwide physical children's book-sharing network in the Netherlands, giving free 'zwerfboeken' (roaming children's books) to children aged 0-12 through more than 3,000 KinderzwerfboekStations located in schools, community centers, healthcare facilities, and retail stores. Each book is identified by a Zwerfsticker and tracked online via a five-character Zwerfcode so children can follow the book's journey. Stations are stocked twice yearly via Boekenpakketten (book packages) donated by publishers and partners.
Is Kinderzwerfboek a public or private company?
Kinderzwerfboek is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Kinderzwerfboek founded?
Kinderzwerfboek was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kinderzwerfboek based?
Kinderzwerfboek is headquartered in Deventer, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Kinderzwerfboek make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and charitable contributions.
Who are Kinderzwerfboek's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Reach Out and Read, First Book, Little Free Library, BookCrossing, VoorleesExpress and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Broad incumbents are Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp, Room to Read and Stichting Lezen & Schrijven. Stichting Jarige Job is listed as a regional player.
Does Kinderzwerfboek have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kinderzwerfboek.
What industry is Kinderzwerfboek in?
Kinderzwerfboek's product category is Children's Literacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAFAO, Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.