Library on Stadhuisplein Expands
On Thursday, June 4, the City Council approved the council proposal for the funding request to renovate the space at Stadhuisplein 23 for lease to the library. This will allow the space to the left of the entrance to the Stadhuis-Forum to be renovated so that it can be incorporated into the library. The former restaurant space where Fat Phills was located will soon house the library’s youth section.
This expansion will give this space in the Stadhuis-Forum an attractive new purpose. It will also create additional study and work areas and make the library more accessible. Alderman Marijke van der Meer (Real Estate): "With this new space on Stadhuisplein, the children’s section will be more visible and accessible to children and their parents; such a welcoming children’s library is a real asset to the atmosphere of Stadhuisplein." Visitors will no longer have to use the stairs or elevator to reach the children’s section, and the reading table with newspapers and magazines will also be moved to a more accessible location.
Marloes Middeldorp, director of the Zoetermeer Library: "The children’s section will be more accessible and clearly visible from Stadhuisplein, making it appealing to parents with young children who are passing by. And that’s important, because the younger you are when you develop a love for being read to and for reading, the better you’ll be able to participate in our society later on."
Regarding the opportunities presented by the reorganization, she says: "We can create more study and work spaces. This is something both the city and the library want. And, of course, the young people who find a pleasant place to study here. In addition, we can locate our offices close to our visitors—the very people we do it all for. That’s inspiring for our back-office colleagues as well. In short, a more logical layout and a refreshed library! We’re pleased with our excellent collaboration with the municipality, which has made all of this possible.”
