Other output from TU Delft such as speeches, dissertations and lecture notes are also stored there. Part of the collection came from the University of Franeker, which closed in 1811, with further donations from the
Royal Library and the Library of the Royal Institute of Engineers. With around 50,000 volumes in total, the collection contains books of all shapes and sizes. Together they provide an overview of scientific and technological developments in the Netherlands, as well as the history of teaching and research at TU Delft. These days it’s mostly used for research and exhibitions.
Documents cannot be borrowed, but can be viewed in the Trésor reading room on the ground floor by appointment on Fridays between 9:00 and 16:00. Digitalisation of the collection is an ongoing project, and just a portion of it is currently available at
tresor.tudelft.nl for viewing. The bulk of the collection is stored in a climate-controlled archive in the basement with special safety features. “The temperature there is kept at 18 degrees, and the humidity is always 50-60%,” said Marietje Ruijgrok, curator. “The oldest book is an incunable from 1485, which is one of the first printed books, it’s about astronomy. It was compulsory reading for former students.” In the treasury room in the main hall small exhibitions often show what the Trésor has to offer.
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