Ooievaarspas and Library Membership: Saving Money in The Hague

This guide is for international residents of The Hague, with or without children, who want to know whether they can get the Ooievaarspas and what it gets them. You will learn who qualifies, what the pass offers, and how to join Bibliotheek Den Haag for free with it.

• What the Ooievaarspas is
• Who can get it
• What the pass offers
• Joining the library with the pass
• Children and families
• FAQ

What the Ooievaarspas is

The Ooievaarspas is a free pass for people on a low income. According to the library’s Ooievaarspas page, it lets you do things in The Hague and the surrounding area, such as playing sport, going to a concert or taking a course. The official Ooievaarspas website describes its purpose as making participation possible.

Both websites are in Dutch. If your Dutch is still a work in progress, your browser’s translate function handles them well enough. The library site also has a Translate option in its top menu.

Who can get it

There are two conditions on the official site. You live in Den Haag, Leidschendam-Voorburg or Rijswijk, and you have a low income. If both apply, the site says the pass brings many benefits and tells you to apply for it.

The pages I used do not state the income limit or the documents you need to submit. Do not guess. Open the application section on ooievaarspas.nl and check the current rules for your situation before you start. If you have just arrived and your registration at your address is still being processed, that is worth checking first.

What the pass offers

The homepage groups the offer into categories: culture, sport, swimming, recreation, free activities, Haagse Regelingen (municipal schemes) and the library. It also has a monthly agenda, so you can see what is on before you plan anything. The offer changes, so treat the examples below as a sample and not a fixed list. Every item was on the homepage when I checked it.

• Museums: the first visit of the year is free with your pass.
• Recreation: a 50% discount was listed for a Sinterklaas event at Duinrell.
• Day trips: Bureau Ooievaarspas organises winter day trips by coach for pass holders.
• Theatre: the Laaktheater was listed with an apple pie concert and a relaxed evening of music and conversation.
• Household costs: a sustainable gift card gives a discount on energy-efficient appliances to holders of the Haagse Ooievaarspas.
• Pets: the municipality of Den Haag offers a contribution towards vet costs for residents. Read the conditions on the site.

Prices and conditions for each activity are set by the organiser, and the homepage does not list them in full. Check the venue’s own site, or the listing on the Ooievaarspas site, before you go.

Joining the library with the pass

This is one of the most useful parts of the pass. According to the membership page of Bibliotheek Den Haag, anyone with an Ooievaarspas can become a member for free. The Ooievaarspas page of the library explains how to sign up. Go to one of the library branches and bring two things:

1. your Ooievaarspas
2. a valid ID: a passport, an identity card or a driving licence

A staff member will help you from there. For opening times and branch addresses, use the library’s own page on branches and opening hours, because they are not stated in the pages I used.

What the free membership includes

• 12 items at a time, with a loan period of 3 weeks (sheet music has 6 weeks)
• free borrowing and renewing of books and documentaries
• 10 e-books and 10 audiobooks per 3 weeks
• online magazines, 5 per 3 weeks

The library lists some exceptions. Requests from other libraries (IBL) and Muziekweb are not covered by the free borrowing. Read the conditions on the library’s site if you rely on them.

Help that suits newcomers

The library page for Ooievaarspas holders highlights free help with Dutch (speaking, reading and writing), with the digital government and with computers. The digital government help covers letters from the municipality, setting up and using DigiD, and tax and benefit matters. The computer help covers searching for information, sending email and using a smartphone. These are the tasks that tend to overwhelm people in their first year, so it is worth asking at the desk.

The page also mentions workshops, trips and lectures, and read-aloud mornings for you and your child. Members also get a discount on lectures, workshops and other activities from the library and its partners.

Children and families

For children there is good news whether or not you hold the pass. Everyone under 18 can join Bibliotheek Den Haag for free with a Jeugdpas. It allows 15 items at a time with a 3-week loan period, plus 10 children’s e-books and 10 audiobooks per 3 weeks. It also gives unlimited access to Lezen voor je lijst.

The Ooievaarspas can still help your children in other ways. The homepage mentioned a toy fair, the Speelgoedbeurs Den Haag, giving away free toys to children with a valid Ooievaarspas. Check the date and place on the official site.

For adults, the library’s Dutch support is the standout. The library page names helping your children with school as one reason to learn Dutch, and that is a practical way for a parent to join in.

If you do not qualify for the pass

Library membership is still affordable. The membership page lists these yearly prices: Basispas 40 euros, Pluspas 50 euros, Sterpas 72 euros. It also lists reduced options: 28 euros for people aged 65 and over, 28 euros for ages 18 to 26 who are not students or pupils, and 10 euros for students and pupils. A Kleine pas costs 19 euros and does not allow e-books. A PC-pas costs 5 euros and suits people who use the library computers for more than 2.5 hours a year.

FAQ

Can I get the Ooievaarspas if I recently moved to the Netherlands?

The official conditions are that you live in Den Haag, Leidschendam-Voorburg or Rijswijk and have a low income. The pages do not mention how long you must have lived here or which documents you need. Check the application section of ooievaarspas.nl for the current requirements.

What do I need to bring to the library?

Bring your Ooievaarspas and a valid ID, which can be a passport, an identity card or a driving licence. Then visit one of the library branches, where a staff member will help you become a member.

Is library membership really free with the pass?

Yes, according to Bibliotheek Den Haag. Membership with an Ooievaarspas is free and includes 12 items at a time, free borrowing and renewing of books and documentaries, and e-books and audiobooks. A few services, such as requests from other libraries, are excluded.

Do my children need an Ooievaarspas to join the library?

No. Anyone under 18 can get a free Jeugdpas from Bibliotheek Den Haag, whether or not the family has an Ooievaarspas. The pass can still help with other offers, such as the free toys at the Speelgoedbeurs.

Official sources: ooievaarspas.nl · bibliotheekdenhaag.nl · bibliotheekdenhaag.nl

Last checked: 14 November 2026 against the pages linked above. Prices, opening hours and programmes change; the venue’s own site always has the current details.