Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen

What Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen does

Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen (BPL), legally Stichting Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen, is a Dutch non-profit foundation (stichting) operating the national library service for people with reading disabilities in the Netherlands. Established in its current form in 2007 with organizational roots tracing to the 1891 founding of the Nederlandsche Blindenbibliotheek, BPL serves individuals with legally recognized visual, cognitive (dyslexia, ADHD, aphasia, intellectual disability), or motor (rheumatism, MS, Parkinson's) impairments that prevent conventional reading. The organization delivers a catalog of more than 110,000 titles—including over 22,000 Braille books, plus national and regional newspapers, magazines, audio plays, and lectures—in multiple accessible formats: streaming audio, downloadable e-books, physical Daisy CDs, Braille, large print (zwartdruk), electronic text, karaoke books, tactile artwork (reliëfwerk), and Braille sheet music. Distribution spans a web-based Online Player, a dedicated iOS/Android mobile application with offline download, and physical mail fulfillment of CDs and Braille materials produced by partner Dedicon.

Operationally, BPL runs under the Dutch public library framework (stelsel van openbare bibliotheken), with governance and regulatory oversight assigned to the Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB) by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Day-to-day operations are handled by approximately 37 staff based at the headquarters in Den Haag (Zuid-Hollandlaan 7, in the 'Rode Olifant' building co-located with the KB). Supporting infrastructure includes the Genretool automated recommendation service that curates streaming content to member preferences, a Maatwerk custom document-conversion service for individual files (contracts, manuals, meeting documents), the quarterly audio magazine 'Tussen de Regels', the 'Lezen met je oren!' podcast, and a Lezersraad (Readers' Council) of around 10 members providing structured user feedback.

The revenue model combines three streams: low-fee individual and organizational memberships (€33 per year, free for members under 18 and for public libraries, Cluster 1 schools, and reading consultants), Dutch government subsidy channeled through the KB, and tax-deductible donations collected under the organization's ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status. BPL holds KvK number 27294673 and RSIN 817380619. Acquisition channels combine self-service registration via the website and app (PLG motion) with institutional referrals from care organizations, schools, and public libraries, supported by a dedicated relatiemanager who conducts webinars and tailored presentations to professional audiences. The organization reported an 8.5/10 customer satisfaction rating in Markteffect's 2025 Klanttevredenheidsonderzoek.

Name

Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen

Legal name

Stichting Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen

Website

https://passendlezen.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen is a Dutch non-profit foundation that provides a national library service of 110,000+ accessible books, newspapers, and magazines in audio, Braille, and large-print formats for people with reading disabilities, operating under Koninklijke Bibliotheek governance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accessible Library Services

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (513120), Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Accessible & Alternative Format Materials (Braille, Large Print, Audio, Tactile Graphics) (EDAGAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reading & Literacy Intervention Materials for Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, Decoding, Comprehension) (EDAGAMAH), AT for Reading, Writing & Learning (Literacy/Executive Function) Tools & Training (EDAKAIAC), Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB), Special Education & Accessibility-Optimized Media (UDL, AAC, Captioning) (EDAGALAH)

Keywords

• Accessible library services
• Reading disability support
• Braille audio books
• Accessible publishing
• Dyslexia reading aids

Headquarters

HQ city

Den Haag

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: Individual adult members (18+) pay an annual subscription fee of €33 per year. Youth under 18 are exempt. The fee grants access to the full collection of audio books, Braille, newspapers, magazines, and all other accessible reading formats.
2. Government Subsidy (Ministerie van OCW / KB): As part of the Dutch public library system (stelsel van openbare bibliotheken), Passend Lezen receives government funding. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap) grants oversight to the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, which in turn oversees Passend Lezen. This subsidizes the library service.
3. Donations / Gifts: The organization actively solicits financial donations from the public. Donations are eligible for tax deductions under the cultural ANBI status. Passend Lezen has RSIN 817380619 and KvK 27294673.
4. Organizational Membership Fees: Schools, care institutions, and other organizations pay €33 per year for a membership that allows them to demonstrate and promote the service to their target audience. Public libraries and Cluster 1 schools receive free membership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen is the national library service in the Netherlands providing books, newspapers, and magazines to people with reading disabilities (blind, visually impaired, dyslexic, or with cognitive/motor impairments). The service offers access to 110,000+ titles across multiple accessible formats including audio books, Braille, Daisy CDs, large print, electronic books, karaoke books, tactile books, and Braille sheet music. Members consume content via a web-based streaming player, a dedicated iOS/Android mobile app, or physical mail delivery of Daisy CDs and Braille materials.

Product overview

Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen operates as a national library service for people with reading disabilities in the Netherlands. The core offering is a comprehensive collection of over 110,000 books, newspapers, and magazines available in multiple accessible formats including spoken/audio books, braille, Daisy-cd, large print (jumboletter), electronic books, and karaoke books. Additional specialized formats include Voelboeken (tactile books for young children), Samenleesboeken (shared reading books), Reliëfwerk (tactile graphics), Themakisten (theme boxes), and sheet music. The service distributes content through a dedicated mobile app (iOS/Android), an online streaming player, physical mail (Daisy-cd, braille), and custom work services. Supporting products include Tussen de Regels (quarterly audio magazine), the 'Lezen met je oren!' podcast for reading promotion, and Genretool Streaming (automated recommendations). Youth services include 'Voor je lijst' for school reading lists. Membership is free for individuals under 18 and costs €33 per year for adults with a qualifying reading disability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Passend Lezen Individual Membership Annual subscription service granting individuals with a recognized reading disability access to the full collection of 110,000+ audio books, 22,000+ Braille books, newspapers, magazines, audio plays, lectures, and tactile materials. Free for members under 18; €33 per year for adults 18 and over.
• Passend Lezen Mobile App

Quantifiable outcome

• Customer satisfaction rating of 8.5 out of 10 (2025, Markteffect Klanttevredenheidsonderzoek)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DediconcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicon is a key production partner that produces a large portion of Passend Lezen's books, newspapers, and magazines in accessible formats. Dedicon also ships Daisy CDs ordered through Passend Lezen, manages the streaming server, and produces Braille books, large print books, tactile drawings (Voelboeken), and sheet music in Braille.
• CBB (Christelijke Bibliotheek voor Blinden en Slechtzienden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Christian Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBB) produces books, newspapers, and magazines with a Christian orientation for Passend Lezen's collection. CBB also produces Samenleesboeken (co-reading books), Themakisten (theme boxes), and custom materials. Their Bibles, hymn books, and calendars are available through Passend Lezen's catalog.
• Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Koninklijke Bibliotheek (National Library of the Netherlands) holds the regulatory oversight role granted by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. BPL and KB are jointly responsible for personal data processed under the Adapted Reading scheme. The KB provides governance and policy oversight for Passend Lezen as part of the Dutch public library system.
• Lezersraad (Readers' Council)minorOthersThe Lezersraad is an advisory body composed of members representing the reading community. It provides solicited and unsolicited advice to Passend Lezen and the Koninklijke Bibliotheek on services, collection, accessibility, website, and quality. The council consists of approximately 10 members including a chair and vice-chair.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• OverDrive / Libby: OverDrive operates the Libby digital library platform serving public libraries worldwide, including accessible-format distribution through mainstream library systems. As a broad digital library incumbent with overlapping accessible-content capabilities, it is comparable as a wider-scale competitor in digital library services.
• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): RNIB is the UK's leading sight-loss charity, operating accessible reading services, the RNIB National Library Service, and a wide advocacy and product portfolio. As a broader incumbent in UK accessible-reading services, it overlaps with but extends well beyond Passend Lezen's specialized library focus.
• National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS, Library of Congress): NLS is the US Library of Congress service that administers a national program distributing Braille and audio books to print-disabled Americans through a network of cooperating libraries. As a federally mandated broader national library system, it functions as a broad incumbent comparable to Passend Lezen's mandate within the Dutch public library system.

Direct peers

• Bookshare (Benetech): Bookshare is the largest US accessible online library for people with print disabilities, offering audio, Braille, and customized e-books to qualified members. It is a direct functional peer in distributing digital accessible reading content to a print-disabled audience.
• Dedicon: Dedicon is the core production partner for Passend Lezen, producing Braille books, large print, tactile drawings, sheet music, and shipping Daisy CDs. While operationally a supplier, Dedicon also independently produces and distributes accessible reading materials for Dutch libraries, making it a direct peer in the accessible-publishing space.
• Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA): CELA is Canada's national accessible library service for people with print disabilities, providing audio, Braille, and e-text formats. Its publicly-funded, national-scale mandate closely mirrors Passend Lezen's role in the Netherlands.
• Legimus (TPB – Swedish Agency for Accessible Media): Legimus is Sweden's national library service for people with reading disabilities, distributing talking books and Braille in Swedish. Its mandate, structure, and multi-format offering closely parallel Passend Lezen's, making it a strong international direct peer.
• Christelijke Bibliotheek voor Blinden en Slechtzienden (CBB): CBB is the Dutch Christian library for the blind and visually impaired, producing audio books, Braille, and specialized products (Samenleesboeken, Themakisten) that flow into Passend Lezen's catalog. CBB also serves its own end members, making it a direct peer in the Dutch accessible-reading market.
• Centro Español del Audio y la Lectura Accesible (CELA): CELA is the Spanish national accessible book service affiliated with ONCE, distributing audio, Braille, and digital accessible formats to Spanish readers with disabilities. Its mission and operating model directly parallel Passend Lezen's at the national level.

Others

• DAISY Consortium: The DAISY Consortium is the international standards body that develops and promotes the DAISY format used by Passend Lezen for its audio books. It is an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor, providing the technical foundation for accessible digital publishing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMjXf9ArnwOz6TpVFDT1wXw
• Facebookfacebook.com/passendlezen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/passend-lezen
• Instagraminstagram.com/passendlezen
• Xx.com/passendlezen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen