Guided tour behind the scenes

For groups

Take a look behind the scenes of the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library with your group or association and learn more about our fascinating history and comprehensive collection.

Contact us

Contact us with your questions or for further information. You can use our general contact details for this. Contact one of our employees directly for specific questions.

Order online

Some helpful instructions how to order online.

Reading Room

Our library has a large collection of early printed books, long-forgotten periodicals and extensive reference works. While we do not loan these works, you can take a closer look at them in our Reading Room.

Cataloguing system

Mieke Lietaer

How do you find the right books and materials in our vast collection of nearly 800.000 titles? Every edition is carefully described in our extensive catalogue. This way, users can find what they are looking for in different manners. However, that can only happen when the descriptions are accurate and complete. Mieke Lietaer is responsible for the cataloguing system.  

Making reproductions

You may scan, copy or photograph some items from our collection yourself. Alternatively, you can request a high-quality scan from our reproduction service.

From student programme to exhibition: Design for Digital Reading

What can a book from the 17th century teach us about digital reading? During the three-year programme Design for Digital Reading, a team of students, instructors and curators delved into the Heritage Library’s historical collection. The assignment was just as simple as it was complex: use the analogue books as a breeding ground for digital reading innovations. The result? An exposition full of innovative prototypes that redefine the boundaries of reading and experience. 

The Library