National library moves 121 km of collections to high-tech facility in Delft

The KB national library is relocating its entire collection of publications—spanning over 121 kilometers in length—from The Hague to a state-of-the-art storage facility in Delft’s Harnaschpolder district. The new facility, designed to preserve materials under optimal conditions, will be operated primarily by a robotic system.

The library will retain its current location near Den Haag Centraal Station as a public space, but the building will undergo extensive renovations. Public access to the collection will continue in the form of study rooms, where books, magazines, and other documents can be viewed by appointment. However, the new Delft facility will not be open to the public.

The move is scheduled for completion in early 2029. Library officials cite the need for improved preservation and additional space for the growing collection as the primary reasons for the relocation.

“In the new facility, the national library collection will be stored safely for the long term in an energy-neutral manner—without the use of climate control systems,” the KB said in a statement. “The vast collection of books, newspapers, and magazines will be kept in an oxygen-deprived environment, making the risk of fire virtually nonexistent. Compact storage and high-grade insulation will maintain the interior climate within the required parameters.”

The facility’s innovative design ensures that the collection is both environmentally sustainable and protected from deterioration.

The first items in the collection are expected to be transferred to the new storage facility by early 2027. Construction is moving forward after the KB and the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf (RVB) obtained the necessary building permits from the Midden-Delfland municipality.

The current storage infrastructure in The Hague is aging and no longer meets the demands of the expanding collection. The move to Delft is intended to safeguard the integrity of the materials for future generations.

While the collection itself will be housed in Delft, the KB will continue to serve the public in The Hague. Renovations at the current location near the central station will preserve study spaces for those who wish to access specific materials. Appointments will remain a prerequisite for viewing items.