DOK

Name

DOK

Legal name

Stichting DOK

Website

https://dok.info

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (519210), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Foundational Reading & Writing Literacy (EDAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Digital lending platform
• Community literacy programs
• School library services
• Cultural education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Delft

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: Annual and multi-tier membership subscriptions (Jeugd, Jongeren, Budget, Compleet, Plus, Kort, Lees&Schrijf) generating recurring revenue. Youth (0-17) and Young Adult (18-27) memberships are free. Adults pay annual fees ranging from €9.75 (3-month Kort) to €71 (Plus).
2. Late fees (te-laat-geld): €0.35 per item per day for overdue materials. Youth and Young Adult memberships are exempt from late fees (boetevrij since January 2025).
3. Material lending fees: €1 per book/magazine/game loan (4-week term); sprinters charged per week. Fees for interlibrary request service: €2 provincial, €4 national per item.
4. Internet and PC use: Free WiFi via Publicroam; fixed PC use at €0.04 per minute.
5. Government and foundation funding: As a public library, DOK receives municipal funding from the Gemeente Delft and operates various programs in partnership with the municipality, schools, and cultural institutions. The Taalhuis is funded by/operated with the municipality.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DOK operates the public library of Delft, lending physical books and materials across three branches (DOK in OPEN, DOK Voorhof, DOK Tanthof) and providing digital lending through the Online Bibliotheek and Wise mobile app. On top of lending, the foundation runs an unusually broad set of community programs — including language learning (Taalhuis), digital government assistance (IDO), school library services (Vindplaats), cultural education (KLIK), memory care lending (Geheugenbieb), early literacy (BoekStart), home delivery (Vliegende Bieb), and volunteer-led reading programs (Taalvisite).

Product overview

DOK is the public library of Delft operating across three main branches (DOK in OPEN, DOK Voorhof, and DOK Tanthof), offering physical and digital lending services, educational programs, and community initiatives. The core service is the DOK Bibliotheek library system, supported by digital platforms including the WISE App and MijnDOK online portal. Digital media is accessible through the Online Bibliotheek platform for e-books, audiobooks, and magazines. Special programs include the Taalhuis for Dutch language learning, Taalvisite volunteer reading support, Living Library human library events, and the Geheugenbieb memory collection. Educational partnerships include Vindplaats school libraries, KLIK and Cultuurhelden culture-language programs for schools, and BoekStart early literacy. Community engagement features the Vliegende Bieb home delivery, IDO digital government assistance, and DOK Designers youth participation program. The Graphic Novels collection represents a newer specialized offering at the OPEN branch.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Taalhuis: Information point for people wanting to learn Dutch, located at DOK Voorhof
• IDO (Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid)
• DOK designers
• Vliegende Bieb
• Vindplaats

Products and services

• Bibliotheeklidmaatschap (Library Membership) Annual library membership that grants individuals access to physical lending of books and other materials across the three DOK branches (DOK in OPEN, DOK Voorhof, DOK Tanthof) and to digital lending via the Online Bibliotheek. Targeted at residents of Delft and surrounding areas.
• Online Bibliotheek Digital lending platform that provides members with online access to e-books, audiobooks, and other digital media. Available to library members and extends the catalog beyond the physical branches.
• Vliegende Bieb Home delivery library service that brings library materials to members who are unable to visit a branch in person. Targeted at members with limited mobility, illness, or other access barriers.
• Taalhuis Language learning and literacy program providing structured support to adults with low literacy or who are learning Dutch. Targeted at adult library members seeking language and literacy improvement.
• Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid (IDO) Digital government assistance service that helps residents navigate online government services and digital public administration. Targeted at library members who need support accessing digital government resources.
• Taalvisite Volunteer reading program in which volunteers visit participants to practice reading and Dutch language skills. Targeted at adults and children who benefit from one-on-one reading support.
• Living Library Event series in which people from diverse backgrounds are 'lent out' as 'books' for conversations with library visitors, fostering dialogue and reducing prejudice. Targeted at the general public visiting the library.
• Geheugenbieb Specialized lending collection tailored to people with dementia and memory loss, providing materials designed for cognitive stimulation and shared reading. Targeted at elderly residents, people with dementia, and their caregivers.
• Vindplaats School library service that provides primary schools in Delft with structured library support, collections, and programming. Targeted at primary schools in Delft contracting with DOK.
• KLIK Cultural and language education program that brings cultural and language learning experiences to school children. Targeted at primary schools in Delft and their pupils.
• Cultuurhelden Cultural engagement program that connects children and young people with cultural activities and role models in the community. Targeted at children and young people in Delft.
• BoekStart Early childhood literacy program that introduces babies and toddlers to books and reading through free book packs and reading support. Targeted at families with young children (0-4 years) in Delft.
• DOK Designers Volunteer participation program in which community members contribute design, content, or creative input to library projects and activities. Targeted at local residents interested in volunteering with the library.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.5 million adults in the Netherlands have difficulty with reading, writing and/or arithmetic; DOK's Taalhuis addresses this in Delft
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Nederlandse Vereniging van Openbare Bibliotheken (NVB), Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, SentobibminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2024European research collaboration on library usage, member satisfaction, and improvement suggestions. Six European countries participate. DOK contributes Dutch data to this cross-border research initiative.
• Alzheimer Delft-Westland-OostlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2023Partnership for dementia-friendly library services. Alzheimer Delft trained DOK staff in 'Goed omgaan met dementie'. Jointly operate the Geheugenbieb collection and the monthly Alzheimercafé Delft at DOK in OPEN.
• CBCT (Certificeringsorganisatie Bibliotheekwerk, Cultuur en Taal)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021CBCT certified both DOK and the Taalhuis as meeting important quality standards for library services and adult literacy support in the Netherlands.
• Gemeente Delft (Municipality of Delft)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2021Primary municipal partner providing funding and strategic alignment for library services, Taalhuis, IDO, cultuureducatie, Rijke Leerdag, and the planned DOK Tanthof neighborhood library. The municipality supports OPEN's sustainable certification.
• SeniorWebcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeniorWeb provides trained volunteers for the Digitale Huiskamer (Digital Living Room) at DOK, helping visitors with questions about digital media, smartphones, tablets, and e-readers. Twice-monthly drop-in sessions.
• Digiaanbod partnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOK publishes the Digiaanbod (digital offerings) guide in collaboration with municipal and community partners, listing digital skills courses and resources available to Delft residents.
• De VAK (muziekscholen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located with DOK in the OPEN community center. Jointly run the Rijke Leerdag program and sustainable operations. De VAK provides music education while DOK provides literacy and cultural programming.
• Centrum voor de kunsten DelftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner in the Cultuureducatie van binnen naar buiten project and Rijke Leerdag program, providing art lessons and cultural activities for children in Delft West.
• Cultuurhuis DelftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner contributing to the Cultuureducatie van binnen naar buiten project and Rijke Leerdag, offering cultural education activities for school children.
• Landelijk Kennisinstituut Cultuureducatie en Amateurkunst (LKCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with DOK director Yuri Matteman on research into equal opportunities in education, advocating for better cooperation between schools and cultural/sports/technology providers.
• Delftse basisscholen (Delft primary schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network of primary schools participating in KLIK culture and language education program, Vindplaats school libraries, Taalvisite referrals, and Cultuurhelden. Multiple schools have dedicated DOK-managed libraries.
• Peuterspeelzalen en VVE (preschools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaalvisite program is a successful collaboration between the library, schools, preschools (peuterspeelzalen), and volunteers to reduce language gaps in children.
• Stichting LezencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational foundation behind the Nationale Voorleeswedstrijd (National Reading Aloud Competition), coordinating the annual reading competition for group 7-8 students that DOK hosts locally.
• Living Library (Living Library Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational concept of Danish origin that DOK organizes locally, where people 'borrow' living books (people with unique stories) for 20-minute conversations to reduce prejudice.
• Stichting Sint voor Ieder1minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partnership for the annual Sinterklaas gift drive. OPEN serves as the central collection point for donated gifts for Delft children who would otherwise not receive presents.
• Jeugdgezondheidszorg (JGZ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth health service present at Babylezen mornings at DOK Voorhof, with a youth nurse available for questions about child development alongside reading activities.
• Online Bibliotheek (landelijke digitial library platform)coreTechnology or IntegrationNational digital library platform providing e-books, audiobooks, and magazines. DOK members access via Wise app and MijnDOK. Platform run by Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB).
• KB (Koninklijke Bibliotheek)coreTechnology or IntegrationNational library of the Netherlands providing the digital lending platform (Online Bibliotheek), national interlibrary loan system (Landelijk Lenen), and authentication infrastructure.
• OCLC (WISE library system provider)coreTechnology or IntegrationOCLC provides and maintains the WISE library management system used by DOK, including the Wise app, MijnDOK portal, and catalog infrastructure.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Direct peers

• Bibliotheek Rotterdam: Major municipal public library in the Rotterdam region (Rijmond) operating under a similar foundation structure with comparable membership tiers, digital lending integration, and community programs. Strongest direct peer given overlapping urban Dutch library market and similar municipal funding model.
• Bibliotheek Utrecht: Utrecht public library operating as a foundation with multiple branches, extensive community programming, and digital lending. Comparable in progressive programming (Taalhuis, Vindplaats-equivalent school services) and urban demographic focus.
• Bibliotheek Eindhoven: Public library in Eindhoven with similar smart-city integration, digital learning programs, and Taalhuis-equivalent language services. Comparable foundation structure with comparable membership tiers and progressive programming philosophy.
• Bibliotheek Den Haag: Public library serving The Hague, neighboring Delft, with similar branch structure, school library programs, and Taalhuis services. Member of the same OCLC WISE ecosystem and competing for similar Zuid-Holland municipal funding.
• Bibliotheek Arnhem: Public library in Arnhem region operating with similar branch model, school library partnerships, and progressive community programming. Comparable municipal foundation structure with similar digital service integration through the WISE platform.
• Bibliotheek Nijmegen: Public library serving the Nijmegen region with similar municipal foundation structure, branch network, and programming portfolio. Comparable scale and urban university-city demographic context.

Others

• Stichting Lezen: National Dutch foundation promoting reading; partners with DOK for the Nationale Voorleeswedstrijd and reading promotion programs. Comparable as a literacy/reading promotion stakeholder in the Dutch ecosystem but operates as an enabler rather than service provider.

Emerging players

• Online Bibliotheek: National digital lending platform for e-books, audiobooks, and magazines integrated with DOK membership. Operates as a complementary channel rather than direct competitor, but represents the digital scaling path that DOK could leverage more aggressively.

Broad incumbents

• Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (OBA): Largest public library system in the Netherlands, operating multiple branches across Amsterdam with extensive community programming including Taalhuis, IDO, and cultural education. Directly comparable to DOK as a municipal public library foundation with progressive programming, though at significantly larger scale.
• Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB): National library of the Netherlands and operator of the Online Bibliotheek digital lending platform that DOK members access. Acts as infrastructure provider and policy maker for the Dutch public library sector; comparable as ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dokbibliotheek
• Instagraminstagram.com/dokbibliotheek
• Xx.com/dokdelft
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dokbibliotheek

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 DOK