Why De Bieb Zaandam is Now Closed – and What It Means for You
zaandam, dinsdag, 4 november 2025.
As of 3 November, De Bieb Zaandam is temporarily closed—not due to structural or building issues, but because of an increasingly unsafe atmosphere caused by groups of young people behaving disruptively. The most alarming incident: several youths used pepper spray inside the library, seriously jeopardising the safety of all visitors. Although the closure is temporary, its consequences are far-reaching: courses have been cancelled, and many young people who simply wished to study quietly are now excluded. The municipality is working with schools and the police to find solutions, but the central question remains: how can a public space remain safe without compromising its principle of accessibility? For residents of the Zaanstreek, this is more than a local issue—it reflects a growing challenge across the Netherlands.
A Temporary Closure with Far-Reaching Consequences
Starting Monday, 3 November 2025, De Bieb Zaandam is temporarily closed from 4:00 pm onwards on weekdays, not due to technical or structural problems, but because of an escalating sense of insecurity caused by groups of young people engaging in disruptive behaviour. Director Jan Willem Schoneveld describes the situation as untenable and emphasises that the safety of both visitors and staff is the top priority [1]. The closure follows a series of incidents, including the use of pepper spray inside the library, riding fatbikes through the hallways, and multiple police interventions in the surrounding area [1]. This measure was not taken lightly, as Schoneveld acknowledges, and has already had immediate effects on the local community: evening courses and educational activities have been cancelled [1]. The Fotoclub Zaanland exhibition, originally scheduled to run until 30 November 2025 at De Bieb, is therefore affected, although the exhibition itself remains active [2]. The municipality of Zaanstad has established a crisis committee to assess the future of the library, with an initial report due by 15 November 2025 [3]. Reopening is currently planned for 15 January 2026, subject to a full safety assessment [3].
The Role of Young People and the Gap in Social Integration
De Bieb library in Zaandam is a central hub for integration, study, and culture in the Zaanstreek, but the current situation reveals the complex nature of public spaces in urban areas. The director notes that too many young people from various schools gather in one place, leading to a mix of groups that do not always interact well, creating an atmosphere of insecurity [1]. This suggests that the unsafe environment is not merely the result of isolated incidents, but a systemic challenge in accommodating young people in public spaces without adequate supervision or social integration [1]. The municipality, in collaboration with the police, schools, and the neighbourhood officer, has developed a crisis plan to address the situation [1]. It is acknowledged that the closure is a drastic measure, but necessary, as the entire group of young people is now under pressure—including those who simply wish to study in peace [1]. The exhibition ‘Faces of Zaandam’, which will be on display at the Verkadefabriek from late October 2025 until 31 January 2026, is an example of a project involving young people aged 14 to 27 from the Zaanstreek, but which can no longer function in the current context [2]. The municipality states that visitor safety is paramount [3], highlighting the tension between accessibility and safety.
The Police, the Municipality, and the Search for Sustainable Solutions
The municipality of Zaanstad has taken steps to improve safety around De Bieb Zaandam, including increased security presence and the closure of the surrounding area during evening and night hours [3]. This action was prompted by a collision on 31 October 2025 at Hof van Zaenden, where a person was struck, further increasing pressure on public spaces [3]. Mayor Hamming has also closed bar Teasers at the Dam in Zaandam for three months starting 7 November 2025 as a response to ongoing disturbances, although this closure had not yet taken effect by 4 November 2025 [3]. The municipality is working with BOA teams, schools, and the police to find a sustainable solution, but the current situation reveals a lack of structural support for young people in public spaces [1]. The crisis committee established to address the issue is expected to deliver its first report within three weeks, indicating that the municipality is taking action, yet also underscoring that a resolution will not come quickly [3]. Therefore, the closure of De Bieb Zaandam is not an endpoint, but a period of waiting during which the municipality seeks to restore the balance between safety and public access.
What This Means for the Future of Public Spaces in the Netherlands
The closure of De Bieb Zaandam is not an isolated case, but a symptomatic signal of a growing challenge across the Netherlands: how can public spaces remain accessible without compromising safety? The library is no longer just a place for reading, but a multifunctional space for education, social integration, and digital access [1]. The closure of such spaces has far-reaching consequences for information literacy, educational opportunities, and the democratization of knowledge—particularly for young people from vulnerable groups who lack a quiet place at home to study [1]. The municipality of Zaanstad has already strengthened its safety plan, but it remains unclear whether this will be sufficient to resolve the situation [3]. The exhibition ‘Natuurlijk Natuur’ at Galerie Staphorsius, open until 27 December 2025, illustrates how cultural activities continue to function, yet the presence of De Bieb Zaandam as a central venue for such events is now under strain [2]. The future of such spaces depends on municipalities’ ability to provide structural solutions—such as supervision, social interventions, and meaningful collaboration with young people themselves—rather than relying solely on closure as a reactive measure.