DIE BIBLIOTEEKROETE I ndlela yamathala eencwadi A bird’s eye-view of George Region Compiled by ELNA GOUS institutions other than schools. The staff are Regional Librarian looking forward to the day they will be able Thembalethu Library to extend the building with the help of the Thembalethu (which means ‘our hope’) The George Regional Library was estab- Western Cape Library Service. A lovely hall was an independent municipality from 1985 lished in 1956 and consists of the municipali- had to be sacrificed for use as a workroom until 1995. When they amalgamated with ties of George, Knysna and Bitou. George – a great disadvantage, as many more users George Municipality, discussions started on Municipality hosts seven libraries and an could be drawn to the library if community the provision of a suitable and adequate individual depot, Knysna ten libraries and activities were hosted in the hall. There library building. The new library was opened one Wheelie Wagon and Bitou six librar- is currently no space for library activities in 1997. It provides an invaluable service ies. Bergplaas Depot is the responsibility of to the community, as the central library in Mountain to Ocean (MTO) Forestry. such as holiday programmes, story hours, et George is too far away from Thembalethu to A short summary of our libraries follows. cetera. Staff: one library manager; two senior be of use to the community. The library is a librarians; one children’s librarian; one refer- hub of activities, especially during weekday George ence librarian (children’s and reference afternoons when high school and primary librarian funded by Conditional Grant); two school pupils from Thembalethu gather for Municipality senior library assistants; 12 library assis- research, work on projects or simply for the tants; two Conditional Grant assistants and fun of browsing for interesting books. George Public Library two part-time messengers (of which one is During 2012 Cape Access opened a computer centre in the library. This is a very In 1842 the George Reading Room became funded by Conditional Grant). valuable service and is used extensively by the George Library and in 1961 the library the community. was affiliated with the Provincial Library Membership: 27,784 Staff: one senior library assistant; two Service of the Western Cape. Since then Circulation: 253,565 library assistants (one Conditional Grant) circulation steadily rose year by year for Stock: 93,150 and one library aid. George Library to become the library with the third largest circulation in the Western Membership: 2,215 Cape. Other libraries in the Southern Cape Blanco Library Circulation: 4,833 make extensive use of George Library’s The library was opened in 1967 in a building Stock: 13,408 stock. called ‘Ararat’. After moving several times The current library building was built in - from one building to a rented house to 1982 (30 years ago). George has, how- another building – a newly built library was ever, grown tremendously since 1982 and finally opened in February 2000. membership is about four times more than Staff: two library assistants. Conville Library it was way back then. The library is much Conville Library opened in March 1978. too small for the community it serves. The Membership: 1,150 The senior library assistant, Jeanetta Sauer, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Circulation: 150,875 currently leads the team of library assis- opened a satellite campus in George whose Stock: 9,839 tants Mieta Saulse and Hazel Springfield students also make use of the library. It also and library aid Daniël Esau in this very busy serves students from several educational Kaapse Bibliotekaris, September/Oktober 2012 3333 THE LIBRARY ROUTE I ndlela yamathala eencwadi library. Conville Library is one of the for- tunate libraries who still has the benefit of Hoekwil Depot Hornlee Library a library hall. It is well used for storyhours, Hoekwil opened in 1994 for the Jacobsz Hornlee Library is situated between the video shows and holiday programmes. Daycare Centre as a library depot. central business area of Knysna and Pletten- Staff: one senior library assistant; two library Staff: one part-time voluntary worker. berg Bay. The library opened its doors on 1 assistants and one library aid. October 1977 and serves the communities Membership: 100 of Hornlee, Hornlee-West, Oupad, Nekkies- Membership: 4,681 Circulation: 1,261 West, Fraaisig and Rykmanshoogte. Circulation: 22,685 Stock: 778 Hornlee Library started with one full-time Stock: 18,275 staff member and a cleaner, but the staff complement has since grown. The library Knysna Municipality is very small, but offers a good collection Pacaltsdorp Library of library material and fulfills an important educational role in the community. It serves Pacaltsdorp Library opened in 1978. Knysna Public Library three primary schools, one senior second- The staff comprises senior library assistant Knysna Public Library was opened in ary school and eight community crèches. Anita August, library assistants Gill Meyer October 1957. Story hours, holiday programmes and (Conditional Grant) and Anne-Maree Afrika The sandstone section at the front of the programmes/festivals which are hosted by and library aid LuIsaac Meyer. The library library, erected in 1893, served as a subscrip- the town are well planned and attended by serves the communities of Delville Park, tion library. It is now a declared historical the community. The well-maintained suitcase Pacaltsdorp and New Dawn Park. monument. Everything in the library was library project is one of the main library out- Staff: three senior library assistants (one of made from local indigenous wood or stone. reach efforts in the community. A reading which is Conditional Grant); and one library The vast ship’s bookcase which houses main- project is being run where special attention aid. ly the Africana collection, is very impressive to listening and observation skills of children and valuable. aged 6-10 is given. Membership: 4,322 The library was enlarged in 1937 and The library runs a free computer training Circulation: 19,200 1987, but is no longer adequate for the program for the community, which is well Stock: 13,400 needs of the community. managed by the librarian and a literacy As far back as 1998 the late Gillian Carter, educator. Users may also make use of an previous head of the library, expressed a Touwsranten Library half an hour free Internet service offered in wish in the CL of Nov/Dec 1998 that ‘we the library. Touwsranten Library opened in April 1997 hope (that) it won’t be too long before a Staff: one librarian; two library assistants and and was the responsibility of the Wildernis fairy godmother finds a way to increase our one contract worker. Municipality. The building was donated by facilities even further’. It seems her wish SAFCOL. Touwsranten is now part of the has come true as building plans were finally Membership: 6,207 George Municipality. This library serves crèches approved in 2012, and when the new exten- Circulation: 21,923 situated on the farms as well as primary schools sions are completed, more than 300m2 will Stock: 13,660 such as Hoekwil and Touwsranten Primary. be added to the library. Staff: one library assistant. Staff: one senior librarian; one librarian; six library assistants (one Conditional Grant); Khayalethu Library Membership: 1,187 one library aid; one cleaner and one trainee Khayalethu Library opened in February Circulation: 4,489 library assistant (Conditional Grant). 2006. The circulation figures of this library Stock: 3,793 are not very high, but the library is mostly Membership: 11,111 used as a study and reading area for the Circulation: 88,215 community and nearby schools. Waboomskraal Library Stock: 44,877 Staff: one librarian and three library assistants Waboomskraal Library officially opened in (two Conditional Grant). March 2012. The library is situated in the Thusong Centre, next to the local school. Leisure Isle Library Membership: 1,930 Children can visit the library during class Leisure Isle Library opened in 1957 and Circulation: 14,108 periods from school. is housed in two rooms in the Cearn Hall, Stock: 6,604 A Cape Access computer centre was also which serves as a community centre. The opened and is a much needed facility for this users are mainly retirees. Biographies and mainly farming community. readable non-fiction are the best circulators. Rudolf Balie Memorial Staff: one library assistant. Staff: one library assistant. Library The library opened in September 2009, and Membership: 130 Membership: 249 is named after the first principal of Concor- Circulation: No figures yet Circulation: 6,800 dia-Fraaisig Primary School. Rudolf Balie was Stock: 1,694 Stock: 5,190 a community leader who symbolised hope 3434 Cape Librarian, September/October 2012 DIE BIBLIOTEEKROETE I ndlela yamathala eencwadi A display in Knysna Library Kwanokuthula Library’s colourful art exhibition Knysna’s crew that runs the show are back (ltr): Matilda Jan Klaas, library assistant; Riekie Ferreira. librarian; Fundiswa (Ltr): Library assistants Dalene Arendse and Stella Damana with librarian Josephine Fose. library assistant; Deanna van Heerden, senior librarian and Littlejohn in front of a delightful display on ‘winter’ in Kranshoek Library library assistant Thandwe Nqunqeka. Front (ltr): Library assistant Maureen Cupido and Elton Snyders, library assistant (Ltr): Library assis- tants Eunice Willemse and Phumla Mnqaba run the show at Kur land Library - The colourful children’s section at Kurland Library Kaapse Bibliotekaris, September/Oktober 2012 3535 THE LIBRARY ROUTE I ndlela yamathala eencwadi The colourful children’s section at Blanco Library where users have a large selection of titles to choose from Library assistants James de Waal (left) and Newton Jumaats serve the public of the Blanco community, while the library aid position (Conditional Grant) is currently vacant. Conville Library’s staff sport Young members make a distinctive dress code that is good use of Conville’s facilities rather pleasing on the eye.