Legend has it that Bellettrie traces its roots to one lone shelf of books in a student's apartment in the 1960s. He had the idea of lending and borrowing books to and from other students, which eventually led to a library. But, wait, you ask, isn't there already a library at the UT? Yes. The goal of Bellettrie, however, was to offer popular fiction, science fiction, literature, comic books - reading for students' leisure time, rather than the scientific tomes found in the main library.
Currently home to over 15,000 books and comic books in Dutch, English, French and German, Bellettrie is located in the Bastille. It boasts a membership of nearly 100. The official opening hours are weekdays 12:45 pm to 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm to 8 pm, but so-called active members (of which there are about 40) may gain access to Bellettrie at any time from an entrance outside the Bastille; they may hang out there at their leisure, any time of day.
Bellettrie Secretary Roosen, a fourth-year Electrical Engineering student, came to the UT in August 2004. During introduction week, he spotted the Bellettrie stand. He checked it out and found it `fun to sit in the library and read.' Roosen's taste in literature runs toward science fiction and, in particular, author Neal Stephenson; he also confesses to being a Harry Potter fan. He soon became an active member and enthuses, `It's been a great way to meet different kinds of people.' Why join the library? `You just have to like books.'
Although the comfortable ambiance of the library is its greatest selling point, one must not overlook the extensive assemblage of fiction, enlarged each year by five buyers who determine which new books enter the library. Renowned primarily for its vast science fiction and fantasy collection (mostly in English), Bellettrie offers poetry, comics, thrillers and detectives (mainly in Dutch), young adult fiction, manga (Japanese comics, translated into English), current and classic literature in Dutch, English, French and German.
Bellettrie shares its quarters with Fanaat, a student game organization, featuring over 300 games - including computer games and game cube - in Dutch, English and German.
This further lends to the comfy, relaxing atmosphere as readers and gamers sit casually interspersed throughout the library.
Bellettrie is also the parent organization of Konnichiwa, a group that promotes Japanese culture. Five times a year they hold a mini-convention in the Bellettrie Library where participants play Japanese games, watch anime and other Japanese films. People come from as far away as Belgium to take part. The next Konnichiwa convention will take place Saturday, December 10 from 10 am - midnight.
At its height, Bellettrie counted over 500 members. But that was before the internet. The library saw a dramatic drop in membership in the 1990s. To attempt to meet the evolving interests of the UT student body, some Bellettrie members came up with the idea of a film club. Since 2000, the Bellettrie Filmhuis has offered films whose provenance spans the globe - from Hollywood cult classics and Bollywood favorites to contemporary Dutch films and the latest indies. Showings take place on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm. They are characterized by an intimate ambiance; halfway through, the viewers generally reconvene in Vrijhof Theatercafé to discuss the movie over a beer, and quite often they continue that conversation after the film.
To join, stop by Bellettrie on the ground floor of the Bastille (or, attend a general meeting on Monday, November 28 at 8 pm in Room 105). Fill out a form and pay the annual fee of 15 euros, or 10 euros with SUAC; a half-year membership is also available from January 1- June 30 for half the price. For more information on Bellettrie or Konnichiwa, see www.student.utwente.nl/~bellettrie
