The temporary library in Librijesteeg opens on January 19. Librijesteeg will be the library location in the city center for the next 3 years. On January 25 there will be an opening party.

The temporary library in Librijesteeg will open to the public on Monday, January 19 at 1:00 PM. The library is located at Librijesteeg 4. This building was previously a municipal office. 

You can use the temporary library for the same services as at the Hoogstraat location: reading, borrowing, activities, and meeting others. Only the Library Theater will not move. 

The Central Library on Hoogstraat closed in November 2025 for a major renovation. The renovated Central Library will open in 2029. The temporary library in Librijesteeg will be the library location in the heart of Rotterdam for the next 3 years. 

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Opening party

On Sunday, January 25, 2026, the library will celebrate its opening. This will be done with the Big Moving Chain and Housewarming. Link opens an external page. People form a line between the Hoogstraat location and the Librijesteeg location. They move the last boxes, chess pieces, and books together. 

If you want to help with the moving chain, you can sign up via Eventbrite. Link opens an external page. The moving takes place on Sunday afternoon between 1:00 and 2:00 PM. 

After the items have been moved, there will be a housewarming at the library on Librijesteeg. This is an open event. You do not need to sign up for the housewarming. 

Circular interior

The temporary library will be familiar to regular visitors. The lamps, seating furniture, and cabinets are moving from Hoogstraat to Librijesteeg. 

Much second-hand building material was used to convert the office building into a library. The library at Librijesteeg has a ‘circular interior’. This means much material has been reused because it is more sustainable. 

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Rotterdampas

The Rotterdampas counter has also moved due to the renovation of the Central Library. For the Rotterdampas, you can temporarily go to the Timmerhuis at Halvemaanpassage 90. For more information, visit the Rotterdampas website. Link opens an external page.

More information

If you want to know more about the new Central Library, visit the page about it on the municipalitys website. Link opens an external page. 

Also on the Bibliotheek Rotterdam site. Link opens an external page there is more information about the renovation.