Special municipal library collections
The Stadsbibliotheek Maastricht (City Library) dates back to the year 1662, when a room was set up as a library at the new Maastricht city hall. This later became the council chamber. In 1773, this library possessed 3,500 volumes. In 1971, the City Library merged with the Public Library in the Witmakersstraat, and a year later with the Central Library in De Beyart. At that time, the library collection comprised over 450,000 volumes. In 1999, it moved into its current location at Plein 1992 in Avenue Céramique.
Limburg collection
Starting in the mid-nineteenth century, the Maastricht City Library collected as many publications on Limburg as possible. This was referred to as 'Limburgensia'.
The collection covers every conceivable subject area: history, geography, law, church history, literature, art, town and country planning and more. As part of the complete collection, it is made available to the public. The Maastricht City Library receives an annual subsidy from the Province of Limburg to fulfil this function. The library also manages the Limburg history and antiquity society collection which also comprises a large quantity of Limburgensia.
Large parts of the complete collection have been made more accessible than is customary for a typical library. The Limburg Collection also includes an extensive series of Limburg daily and weekly newspapers. There is almost always at least one newspaper from 1799 onward. Some of these newspapers are on microfiche making them easy to consult. Special access to topics involving Limburg has been provided for a large number of the newspapers.
