Theek 5 bibliotheek

What Theek 5 bibliotheek does

Theek 5 bibliotheek is a Dutch public library foundation (Stichting Theek 5) operating 11 branch locations across six municipalities in North Brabant — Oosterhout, Gilze en Rijen, Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog, Dongen, Drimmelen, and Geertruidenberg — serving a service area of approximately 164,000 inhabitants. Its core function is media lending (physical books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, plus films, music, newspapers, and digital content), augmented by an increasingly broad portfolio of community and educational programs: language and digital-skills support via Digi-Taalhuis and Taalmaatjes, accessibility services for people with reading disabilities (Passend Lezen, Makkelijk Lezen Plein, Grootletterboeken), home delivery through Bibliotheek aan Huis, study spaces with free WiFi, and digital-government assistance via the Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid.

The underlying technology stack is utilitarian rather than differentiating: library operations run on the Iguana catalog system (v. 4.5 SP2 build 4.5.03), member-facing self-service is delivered through the Bibliotheek mobile app (iOS/Android) and the Mijn Theek 5 portal, and authentication is federated through the national Landelijk Inlogsysteem operated by the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, which also provides the Online Bibliotheek e-book/audiobook platform. No AI/ML, API, or developer-facing capability is exposed to third parties.

The revenue model combines municipal public funding (per-capita subsidies tied to the library mandate) with member subscription fees, with free basic membership for under-18s and tiered paid adult plans (including a €33/year Passend Lezen specialized-reading tier). Go-to-market is community-led: physical branches drive footfall and in-person registration, the website and Bibliotheek app handle online enrollment (auto-incasso direct debit), and partner referrals from schools, municipalities, healthcare providers, and volunteer programs feed the top of funnel. Volunteer labor (VoorleesExpress, Praatpunt, Taalmaatjes, home-delivery couriers) materially underwrites the cost-to-serve and reinforces community-anchor positioning.

Name

Theek 5 bibliotheek

Legal name

Stichting Theek 5

Website

https://theek5.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Theek 5 is a Dutch public library foundation operating 11 branches across six North Brabant municipalities, serving roughly 164,000 residents with media lending, digital-government helpdesk, language and digital-skills programs, accessibility services, and community activities, funded through municipal subsidies and member subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

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), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Library & Education Audiobook Distribution (Public Libraries, Schools, Academic) (MPAJAIAE)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community lending
• Digital reading
• Accessibility reading
• Library education

Headquarters

HQ city

Oosterhout

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership/Subscription Fees: Theek 5 generates revenue primarily through membership subscriptions. Members pay annual fees for access to physical and digital collections. Different subscription tiers exist including free youth memberships and paid adult memberships. Auto-incasso (direct debit) is the standard payment method for online subscriptions.
2. Government Funding: As a public library organization, Theek 5 receives funding from local municipalities in its service area (Oosterhout, Gilze en Rijen, Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog, Dongen, Drimmelen, and Geertruidenberg). This public funding supports the library's community service mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Theek 5 bibliotheek is a public library foundation operating 11 branch locations across six municipalities in North Brabant, Netherlands, serving approximately 164,000 residents. The library lends physical media (books, DVDs, CDs, magazines), provides access to national digital collections through the Online Bibliotheek (e-books, audiobooks), and offers accessibility services (Passend Lezen, Makkelijk Lezen Plein, Grootletterboeken, Bibliotheek aan Huis) along with community education programs including Digi-Taalhuis, Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid, online courses, and cultural activities.

Product overview

Theek 5 is a public library organization operating 11 branch locations serving the municipalities of Oosterhout, Gilze en Rijen, Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog, Dongen, Drimmelen, and Geertruidenberg with approximately 164,000 residents. The organization offers a unified library service combining physical and digital resources. The core offering includes physical book lending across all branches, supplemented by digital services through the national Online Bibliotheek platform for e-books and audiobooks. Accessibility services form a significant component, including Passend Lezen (accessible reading for people with disabilities), Makkelijk Lezen Plein (easy reading for children), Grootletterboeken (large print books), and Bibliotheek aan Huis (home delivery). Educational and community services include the Digi-Taalhuis for language learning, Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid for digital government assistance, and online courses. Members access services through the Mijn Theek 5 portal and Bibliotheek app (Iguana), with a national single sign-on system managed by the Koninklijke Bibliotheek. Various volunteer programs support community engagement including reading aloud volunteers, language tutors, and digital assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Online Bibliotheek: Digital reading platform providing access to e-books, audiobooks, and digital magazines
• Passend Lezen
• VoorleesExpress
• Makkelijk Lezen Plein

Products and services

• Theek 5 Fysieke Bibliotheek Physical library service with 11 branch locations offering books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, and other physical media for borrowing with a valid library card.
• Online Bibliotheek (E-books en Luisterboeken)

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Koninklijke Bibliotheek (National Library of the Netherlands)coreTechnology or IntegrationTheek 5 maintains a strategic partnership with the Koninklijke Bibliotheek for national library services integration. This includes the landelijk inlogsysteem (national login system) enabling single sign-on access to both local and online library services. The partnership enables access to onlinebibliotheek.nl for e-books and audiobooks, and supports the Passend Lezen accessible reading service. Data sharing includes membership recognition and e-book lending status, with the Koninklijke Bibliotheek and Theek 5 acting as joint data controllers under GDPR.
• Passend LezencoreTechnology or IntegrationPassend Lezen is a specialized reading service for people with reading disabilities (visual impairment, dyslexia, etc.) managed by the Koninklijke Bibliotheek with Ministry of Education, Culture and Science support. Theek 5 offers free membership to Passend Lezen for its members, providing access to over 110,000 accessible format books including audiobooks, Braille, and large print materials.
• Local Municipalities (Oosterhout, Gilze en Rijen, Baarle-Nassau, Dongen, Drimmelen, Geertruidenberg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheek 5 serves as the public library provider for 6 municipalities covering approximately 164,000 inhabitants. These municipal partnerships involve public funding in exchange for library services delivery, community programming, and accessibility for all residents.
• ROC (Regional Training Center)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe ROC provides volunteer training programs for Theek 5's language volunteer initiatives, including the mandatory 5-session training for Taalmaatjes volunteers. This supports the library's digital literacy and language learning programs.
• h*19 (Cultural Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with cultural organization h*19 in Oosterhout for organizing cultural education programs, specifically the Cultuurmenu cultural programming for schools.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bibliotheek Rotterdam: Large Dutch municipal public library operating multiple branch locations in Rotterdam with comparable service mix (physical lending, digital resources, programming, accessibility services). Closely mirrors Theek 5's community-anchored model in a larger city context.
• Stichting OBA (Amsterdam Public Library): Largest Dutch public library foundation, operating multiple branches across Amsterdam under a Stichting structure with municipal funding plus membership. Directly comparable to Theek 5 as a Dutch multi-branch public library foundation serving a regional population, though at materially greater scale.
• Haagsche Bibliotheek (Den Haag): Public library system serving The Hague with multi-branch operations, educational programs, and digital inclusion services. Directly comparable multi-branch Dutch public library foundation with similar product portfolio to Theek 5.
• Bibliotheek Utrecht: Regional public library foundation serving Utrecht and surrounding municipalities with branch network, digital services, and community programming. Similar non-profit operating model and member-government blended revenue.
• Bibliotheek Eindhoven: Multi-branch public library operating across Eindhoven region in North Brabant, the same province as Theek 5. Highly relevant regional peer with overlapping population demographics, educational programming, and accessibility focus.
• Bibliotheek Tilburg: Public library network serving Tilburg and surrounding municipalities in North Brabant, with multi-branch operations and educational/community programming. Direct provincial peer for Theek 5.

Broad incumbents

• Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB): National Library of the Netherlands and Theek 5's core technology partner. Operates the national Landelijk Inlogsysteem SSO and Online Bibliotheek platform. Comparable at category level (library operations) and infrastructure-level partner, not a direct local competitor.
• Cubiss: Dutch sector support organization providing services (consulting, training, digital infrastructure) to public libraries including Theek 5. Comparable as an industry-shaping counterpart in the Dutch public-library ecosystem rather than a direct branch-level competitor.

Others

• Online Bibliotheek: National e-book, audiobook, and digital magazine lending platform operated by Koninklijke Bibliotheek, deeply integrated with Theek 5 membership. Adjacent infrastructure/enabler rather than a competitor — comparable only in that it overlaps with Theek 5's digital content offering.

Regional players

• Stichting Probiblia: Flemish/Belgian public-library cooperative covering a comparable regional-municipality library function in Belgium. Comparable in mission and member/municipality revenue model, though operating in a different national jurisdiction than Theek 5.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theek5
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theek5

Compliance2 records

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 Theek 5 bibliotheek