Koffiekrantjes

Koffiekrantjes are small, informal newsletters printed on inexpensive paper and circulated primarily in coffeehouses in the Netherlands and Dutch-speaking parts of Belgium. They function as community bulletins, offering news, announcements, cultural notes, and space for readers to contribute. The format is typically modest, often a few pages that can be carried easily by regular cafe visitors.

Origins and production are informal. Koffiekrantjes emerge within local networks as a low-cost way to share information among regulars. Production is usually amateur and collective: volunteers or representatives of associations, clubs, or cultural groups edit and lay out the publication, frequently using mimeography or basic printing methods. Copies are distributed at participating venues and sometimes sold for a small fee.

Content commonly includes local news, event notices, cultural notes, poems, cartoons, and letters from readers. The tone is practical and participatory, emphasizing local life and community concerns. Layout tends to be compact and accessible, designed for quick reading in a cafe setting.

Today koffiekrantjes persist in some communities as a remnant of cafe culture and DIY publishing. They are valued as a participatory, face-to-face information channel and as a record of local culture and social life. In some cases they have digital successors or online editions, but many communities continue to appreciate the traditional print form for in-cafe sharing.