Boekenzolder
Stichting Kittiwake
Boekenzolder
Since 2012 the Boekenzolder has been a treasure trove where all are welcome, whether to donate books or to take books away.
It is a unique initiative, a non-profit charity.
Donations are welcome to defray the costs. This can be done by banknumber NL 71 INGB 0102621462
Our work
The Boekenzolder is a project of the Kittiwake Foundation and was established to supply books free of charge to private individuals and institutions, among others.
Our aim is to promote reading and to allow visitors to meet other book-lovers, and also to give a new life to donated books.
Opening hours
Books can be taken away, exchanged or returned free of charge during opening hours:
Thursday 13.00-16.30 uur
Friday 13.00-16.30 uur
Saturday 13.00-16.30 uur
During opening hours the Boekenzolder can be reached by telephone on 0624337506.
We are closed on the following days in 2026:
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Thursday July 30 - August 8 (summer vacation)
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Saturday October 3 (3 October Festival)
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Saturday December 5 (Sinterklaas)
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Friday December 25 and Saturday December 26 (Christmas)
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Thursday December 31 (turn of the year)
Outside opening hours, an appointment can be made to return/donate books via info@boekenzolderleiden.nl
Taking in books
If you bring 5 boxes or 5 bags of books you can come to the opening hours. If you have more than that please make an appointment via info@boekenzolderleiden.nl;
We don't accept broken or moldy/dirty books, outdated study materials, records (courses), videotapes, dvd's and cd's.
Please note The Boekenzolder is closed for a summer break from July 30 - August 8 2026!
Boekenzolder
The Boekenzolder is a project of the Kittiwake Foundation and was established to supply books free of charge to private individuals and institutions, among others. Our aim is to promote reading and to allow visitors to meet other book-lovers, and also to give a new life to donated books.
This foundation is recognised by the tax authorities as a Public Benefit Institution (ANBI), which means that donations are tax-deductible.
Since 2012 the Boekenzolder has been a treasure trove where all are welcome, whether to donate books or to take books away. It is a unique initiative, a non-profit charity.
It was founded in 2012 and since 2015 has been located on the Admiraal Bankertweg.
The mission of the Boekenzolder is to give a second life to books (sustainability), and to encourage reading for everyone, and especially for those of slender means, whether young or old.
The books are donated by both private individuals and organisations. During opening hours every book lover can take away ten free books, which are stamped to prevent resale.
The Boekenzolder also pursues an active policy of making books available to schools, homes for the elderly, and other organisations, and provides books to several of the mini libraries in the city.
The Boekenzolder contains books in very many languages and covering many different subjects. There are books in European, Asian and African languages, among others. Subjects include novels, thrillers, philosophy, religion, music, art, history, science, comics, children's books, and much more.
The Boekenzolder is run by volunteers; they collect the books, sort them and place them in their categories, assist and provide information to visitors, and make a note of book requests. Anyone with an interest in books can register as a volunteer via email or telephone.
We also regularly organise cultural activities; the programme can be found in the latest news. The Boekenzolder also plays a role in literary and sociocultural life in Leiden.
Did you know you can sign up for our mailing list? By doing so you receive notifications of our events such as lectures and music performances. You can sign up by sending an e-mail to: info@boekenzolderleiden.nl. We encourage suggestions for events!
Activities and events
Here a few photos of the succesfull afternoon on January 28 were there were poems read in Gaelic, Welsh, French, Yiddisch, Russian and Chinese. Leo van Zanen translated these poems.
| Date | Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 28-01-2024 | 15:00 | VERSES FROM FAR AWAY Alternative poetry afternoon in different languages by Leo van Zanen and others. Entrance is free! |