Reading Room and Library

For the CABR archive, you must reserve a time slot. Upon arrival, visitors receive a visitor pass that grants access to the reading room. The reading room can be visited without an appointment, and there are no fees. Archival materials can only be requested on site; advance reservation is not required.

• ​The reading room is open on Tuesday-Friday 9.00-17.30. Please note: the reading room is closed on Mondays. Sometimes NIOD is closed on non-standard days. Go here for exceptions.
• ​The online archive finding aids and library catalogue indicate whether NIOD has documents on a specific subject. Please note that it is not possible to reserve archival documents in advance.
• ​The library has an open set-up, so the books can be accessed directly. For some sub-collections, you need to fill in a request slip at the checkout desk.
• ​Check in advance whether the desired inventory numbers are restricted. In some cases, you need to ask the director of NIOD for permission to consult the documents; please refer to 'Are all collections accessible without restriction?’ You can only consult archival documents in the reading room after obtaining the director’s permission.
• ​Please consult the rules of NIOD's reading room.

For other questions about the collection or for help in searching for information, a reading room assistant is always present at the desk.

A more detailed description of the services of NIOD is laid down in the service standards. A fee is charged for making and sending photocopies and scans. The price list gives an overview of the costs.

In the reading room of the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, two computers are available on which the digitized portion of the Centraal Archief Bijzondere Rechtspleging (CABR) can be consulted. At present, approximately 35% of the CABR has been digitized. The CABR, the largest war archive in the Netherlands, contains files on around 425,000 individuals who were investigated for collaboration with the German occupier.

A computer to consult the CABR can be reserved in time slots of 3.5 hours. This allows multiple people to conduct research each day. The two specially secured computers in the reading room of the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies are available to individuals with a research interest. This means that you have a (personal) interest in conducting research in the CABR. Before you can view a file, you will receive a formal access decision.

The CABR contains records of individuals who may still be alive. To protect their privacy, researchers who wish to conduct academic research in the CABR must complete an additional form stating how they will handle the special categories of personal data contained in the archive. This form can also be completed upon arrival at the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

The computers must be reserved in advance. You may bring one person with you during your visit. Due to the restricted public access to the material, no reproductions (prints or photographs) may be made. Taking notes is permitted. You can make reservations up to one month in advance. To allow as many people as possible to consult the digital CABR, you may reserve a maximum of one time slot per week.