Jongbloed in short

Jongbloed Juridische Boekhandel is situated in Den Haag, home to the Dutch Parliament, the Peace Palace and the Dutch Supreme Court.

80 Years ago, after learning the trade from Belinfante Brothers, highly regarded booksellers to the Dutch Legal Establishment, A. Jongbloed started his own business selling antiquarian books from his home. The business is flourishing and he is joined by his son K.P.Jongbloed in 1935. As is bound to happen in all family businesses, new blood heralds changes and in 1940 they move the business to premises in the Laan van Meerdervoort, also known as the “back garden of the Peace Palace” where they start selling modern Law Books.

When the present director Mr. A.K. Jongbloed joins the firm even more exciting developments take place. First of all, in 1981, they open a branch in Leiden, Kloksteeg no 4 , which is greatly welcomed by the staff of the Law Faculty and its many students.
In 1983 they move the main shop to its imposing premises in the Noordeinde, once occupied by the Boucher family who were also booksellers. In 1987 Boekhandel van Stockum, incorporating Belinfante Bros., becomes part of the business.

What once started as a one-man antiquarian bookshop has now grown into a highly specialised Law Book business, employing 50 people, with a selection of Legal Publications spanning 350 years, ranging from Hugo de Groot’s “Inleydinge tot de Hollandse Regtsgeleerdheid” to the Dutch Civil Code on CD-ROM and “The Law on the Internet”

Den Haag, Legal Capital

Den Haag is quite justly called The Legal Capital of the World. Many international organisations have settled here with more to come and it is already home to the highest Dutch Courts of Law, the Peace Palace, the International Court of Justice, the Yugoslavia Tribunal, the OPCW and the Asser Institute. Furthermore in 1999 Leiden University opened a subsidiary of their Law Faculty.
Jongbloed Juridische Boekhandel is the obvious supplier of national and international legal literature to all these institutions.

Our clientele outside Den Haag

A highly specialised bookshop like ours relies on local clientele, but it stands to reason, that not only Dutch legal practitioners from all over the country find their way to us. Indeed many International Courts of Law, Universities, Legal Institutions and Practitioners know they can not only rely on our extensive stock but more importantly our fast and reliable delivery service. It is not unusual that we supply Finnish books to the University of Athens. Besides books we supply thousands of subscriptions to periodicals and serial publications.

ur specialisation

Our vast stock of specialised legal literature has enabled us to build excellent customer relations and to deal with requests for obscure titles, documents and so-called “grey” literature. Besides many online databanks our bibliographical department uses CD-ROMs containing all available titles (e.g. Bowker, Baker & Taylor, VLB and Les livres disponibles). Even “sold out-not reprinted” publications e.g. an old BW-Asser, can be found in our antiquarian collection and missing links from sets and periodical collections can be traced and supplied.
We can even offer a repair service for damaged books

International justice

Requests for Law Publications in foreign languages by International Tribunals and Institutes in Den Haag have escalated. Books published by Kluwer Law International are always in stock and we import vast quantities of law books from the USA, France, England and Germany. The wars in Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the changes in South Africa and the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal in Den Haag have increased the demand for publications on war crimes and Offences against Human Rights. Visiting international lawyers and students of International Law frequent Jongbloed bookshops and ultimately the books find their way to where they are needed i.e. to fight injustice.

Our added value

A librarian or lawyer would much rather concentrate on books than on bookkeeping To keep administration to a minimum Jongbloed offers the following “Added Value”

• Taylor-made invoices, broken down into individual expenses per lawyer, judge or department.
• Subscription statements with yearly expense overviews.
• Books can be sent on approval on request or automatically.
• Fast delivery: We have the largest stock of Dutch language and international titles.
• Advice: Jongbloed gives help and support with library set-ups and advises on relevant electronic products.
• Weekly listings: Alerts to newly published titles and reprints in our Newsletter “Recht op u af” by e-mail.
• Lost books, the bane of every librarian can in many cases be replaced out of our antiquarian stock.

Times are changing

The arrival of the CD-ROM, Internet and data banks has had undeniable consequences for the book trade in general. Jongbloed is aware of this and is working hard to incorporate the latest developments into existing library systems and the book trade itself. As a result we can offer better service, more up-to-date information as well as Internet Access to our complete collection which includes both new and antiquarian books and which is also available on CD-ROM.
We are also part of the internet site Boekverkopers.com, which includes Atheneum Boekhandel, Kniphorst Boekverkopers and the VU Boekhandel.
A large assortment of off line Data banks and specialised systems of varying price ranges and content is also available. Jongbloed can help with buying, updating information and advice about CD-ROMs and diskettes containing law texts, dictionaries and various data banks.

Amidst all these changes there is at least one constant:. The familiar interior of the Noordeinde Bookshop with the Placcaat books, but foremost the unequalled service starting with initial advice and leading to customer-friendly tailor- made invoicing and delivery.