The Municipal Public Library

Since 2000, the municipal library has been housed in the buildings of the former OCMW hospital. The buildings from 1980 were designed by the well-known architect Karel Van Riel.

In the 19th century, popular education and upliftment was mainly a matter of private initiative. The government of liberals and Catholics reserved only part of the educational resources for evening and Sunday classes for adults. In 1919, the working week of a maximum of 48 hours and a working day of a maximum of 8 hours would mean more free time for the worker and over which the government wished to exercise a certain control. In this context, a law was promulgated in 1921, which provided for a financial contribution to "public municipal", "adopted" and "free" libraries.

The oldest library in Aarschot – the Sint-Vincentius à Paulo library located on the church square – was founded in 1861 and recognised in 1924. The liberal Willemsfonds library dated from 1880 and was housed in De Cerkel for a long time. It was recognized in 1923. In 1928, the socialists founded their Volksontwikkeling library, located in the People's House. Recognition followed in 1932. In those years, it was developed into the most visited library in the city. In 1942, in the middle of the war, the VNV-oriented city council – which did not think highly of socialist ideas – abolished the city subsidies.

Jan Rymenams