The Gouda library rents space in the Chocolate Factory to subsidized organizations without risk of termination

Gouda – The municipality of Gouda wants the best for a number of cultural institutions and has a generous policy. The Gouda Library, as the main resident of the Chocolate Factory, rents and makes available square meters in this building to entrepreneurs and institutions. Until now, the library has surrounded itself with the regional archives of Central Holland, Drukkerswerkplaats, VRSapce and Kruim – food & drink in order to create together an inspiring and dynamic environment where there is always something to do. However, if one of the participants overturns, the library management can simply return the space to the municipality after a 6-month obligation of means.

The “Chocolaterie” concept is a golden opportunity for the library
It was Nan van Schendel, then director of the Gouda library, who proposed the concept. The old chocolate factory in which Steenland produced, among other things, his chocolate pieces and which then served as a municipal office for several years, was empty. Van Schendel saw the need to make the library more accessible and attractive. The municipality of Gouda, owner of the premises, was ready to pay more than a million euros to adapt the Chocolate Factory to its new function. The combination of catering, library and other activities quickly attracted many visitors. A new meeting point had emerged.

Since December 1, 2016, Erna Staal has been at the head of the Library
The municipal library of Gouda naturally covers most of the Chocolate Factory. One of our first questions to Staal (director-director) was the relationship between the library and the chocolate factory. She is very clear about this and says: “La Chocolaterie is not an independent and separate organization. It is a building and a concept and in this context we work together on the basis of equality.
The library is the main tenant of the Chocolate Factory, so it also signs the lease with the municipality and is therefore the main person responsible for it. From this position, the library organizes the administration and collection of rent on the basis of square meters and installation costs.

How will the Chocolate Factory be managed correctly?
There is no general manager around. The management with all the colleagues of the library, as well as the other “residents” are responsible for the exploitation of the Chocolate Factory concept. Cooperation is based on mutual agreements. However, all organizations are responsible for their own business operations. For example, the Regional Archives, Libertum have their own grant relationship with the municipality. So you can see it as a great collaboration under one roof.

Is the Gouda Library still the hub of the Chocolate Factory?
To use Staal’s words: the Gouda library is more than a book lending point. It is a relatively small organization with a director-administrator, a deputy director, a number of salaried staff – less than 20 FTEs – and many volunteer staff. In addition to the municipal library of the Chocolaterie, there are more that fall under the Gouda library: an online library and a loan point at Gouda Noord and Goverwelle. There are four children’s libraries spread across the city and a fifth, Westergouwe, is under development. The Taalhuis is also the responsibility of the Library. In addition to own income, there is a substantial municipal subsidy of just under $ 2 million.

The Chocolate Factory is public, very accessible and low-threshold without paying anything
The fact that you have nothing to spend requires further explanation as a library subscription costs money, as does consumption at Kruim food & drink or certain presentations. Staal’s answer is clear. She qualifies: “Everything is not necessarily free. We also run classes or meetings which are sometimes chargeable, but you can stay in the building for nothing.
The “low threshold” is also clearly represented by the many square meters at 1^e floor with reading chairs and a large number of flexible and study areas, some with adjustable chairs. All this is free and indirectly a donation from the municipality. Because the library does not derive any income from it, this installation is finally made financially possible thanks to the municipal grant.

As we started in this article, the municipality is very generous
Without compromising the commitment and motivation of all residents of the Chocolate Factory, the main tenant hardly has to take a risk into account. In the event of the disappearance of one of the subsidized tenants, the municipality will take back the square meters and they will not have to be paid by the Library. However, it is the municipality that is mainly in charge. For example, they can increase the grant for that organization in question, so that people can stay in the Chocolate Factory. This costs the municipality money, but also if the club in question disappears from the Chocolate Factory without succession. If this must happen, we therefore calculate what is the least damaging for the municipality; more subsidy or less rental income.

This is the first article on the Gouda Chocolate Factory and Library for the period 2014 to 2021. Part II will deal with the consequences of the chocolate factory renovation and how the library board and new sub- tenants forged their plans and how much the council paid for it.