The Theosophical Society is very fortunate to have some outstanding libraries. The ones in Adyar, Sydney, and Wheaton are well known to all, but there is another, probably lesser known, that certainly deserves our attention.
When travelling through Holland, next to visiting the beautiful International Theosophical Center in Naarden, a visit to the National Headquarters of the Dutch Section in Amsterdam is a must. It is located in de Tolstraat 154, close to the river Amstel, the river after which the capital of Holland was named, and in the middle of de Pijp, a picturesque city district. A few years ago the headquarters building was fully renovated; it houses the three main departments of the Dutch Section. The library, the administration of the TS, and the bookstore are all situated on the ground floor. All three departments are fully integrated. When you are in the library, for example, you can easily walk into the TS office where the bookstore is also operating; all departments are freely accessible, which gives an open and truly holistic feeling.
The Theosophical Library at Amsterdam was founded in 1899 and is one of the most extended esoteric libraries in the Netherlands, if not the first. The unique collection is very broad and contains literature in the fields of Theosophy, religion, esotericism and occult science. But mysticism, symbolism and spirituality are also very well represented.
The Theosophical Library is part of the Dutch Section of the TS, but is open to the public also, so that everyone can make use of its collection. A wealth of spiritual insight is available.
The total collection consists of approximately 25,000 books for the most part in Dutch and English. Furthermore quite a number of Dutch and English Theosophical magazines are available, as well as a few encyclopaedias, dictionaries and other books of reference in the field of Theosophy, religion and esotericism.
The library is run by six enthusiastic and hardworking volunteers, who are supervised by the librarian, Mr. Renger Dijkstra. He has been working there for twenty years, so he has to be a bookomaniac, taking his admirable dedication and long term commitment into account.
For students of Theosophy, but also for all other searchers, this library is a blessing. Also for those living outside Holland it is a source of valuable information. Below you’ll find useful links and e-mail addresses, so you can have a look for yourself.
Administration Dutch Section, in the background the library
Bookstore
Library, in the background the administration of the Dutch Section
Library
Library
