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Sneek Library

Wijde Noorderhorne 1 Sneek -plan route

Sneek's library was founded in 1910. The first building in use by the library, then known as the Openbare Leeszaal (Public Reading Room), was a building accessed via a passageway and garden on the Grote Kerkstraat. Later it moved to the Marktstraat, which included the Cleynstins. At the time, Sneek was the smallest town with its own library. Sneek was also the first town with its own youth library. In the early years the library had about 60 members. During World War II, the library had to take all books on radios and the Royal Family out of the collection.

Wijde Noorderhorne
In 1984, the library moved to the building at the Wijde Noorderhorne 1. For this purpose, a large part of new construction was placed up to the Bolwerk. In 2010, the library celebrated its 100th anniversary in a big way. On this occasion, Mayor Hayo Apotheker accepted the first copy of the book on the history of the library from the hands of former director Albert Pasma. The library had more than 10,000 members in 2010.

National Monument
Wijde Noorderhorne 1 is the location of a stately home on the Wijde Noorderhorne in Sneek. The building, built in 1789 to the design of Auke Bruinsma, is one of national monuments in Sneek's town center. The building has been designated a national monument because of its special facade with a wide entrance. Above this is a framed and festooned window. Above this is a cornice with triglyphs. Next to the cornice are two festoons. At the top of the facade is a large tympanum with a portrait medallion, which is surrounded by festoons. The hipped roof is surrounded by plate-decorated corner chimneys. The garden extends to the Bolwerk.

The building is known to many residents as the home of Dr. G.N Bouma, surgeon at St. Antonius Hospital, who also operated here at home in a kind of private clinic. Among other things, the Dr. Boumaweg is named after him. After his death, the Reformed Nursing Home was located here until 1983. Since 1984 the Sneek Library has been housed in the building.

(Photo library Gert Jan Hermus)