With South African Library Week (SALW) just around the corner, the City’s Libraries are urging anyone with outstanding items to return them – fine-free.
The top 10 outstanding books are:
- The getaway, Jeff Kinney (23 copies)
- The meltdown, Jeff Kinney (23 copies)
- Physical Science. Grade 12, study guide (22 copies)
- Cinderella, Susanna Davidson (20 copies)
- Dog days, Jeff Kinney (19 copies)
- Accounting. Grade 12, study guide (18 copies)
- Life of Pi, Yann Martel (17 copies)
- English Literature. Grade 12, study guide (17 copies)
- The last straw, Jeff Kinney (17 copies)
Half of the top 10 belongs to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney.
Books worth millions of rands have been lost to City libraries due to patrons who have failed to return these items. Some 40,000 items, worth an estimated value of R4.6 million have not been returned in 2022 alone.
“Not returning books or other material not only impacts the library and our service financially but robs other patrons of enjoying them. Libraries are a wonderful source of information and leisure, but unreturned items mean that pleasure is lost to many,” says Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.
SALW starts on Monday 20 March until Friday 25. The theme this year is “Libraries Telling Powerful Stories” and aims to raise awareness around libraries and their importance in communities
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To kickstart the literary celebrations, the City’s Library and Information Services will once again have its annual departmental march on Friday, 17 March 2023.
The march will start at 9.30am at the Central Library in Darling Street.
“We are taking libraries to the streets and it’s not only a fun reminder of the importance of books, but it also creates awareness of the huge educational, well-visited and loved community spaces in our city,” says van der Ross.
“It is an opportunity for libraries to engage with people within their communities, including leaders, musicians, politicians, authors, teachers and professionals to unearth the powerful stories about the role that public libraries and librarians played in their lives.”
As part of the SALW celebrations, four integrated events with sister departments in the Directorate, including Recreation & Parks, City Health and Social Development & Early Childhood Development.
These four events are:
- Area North: 20 March at Fisantekraal Library
- Area South: 22 March at Southfield/Tokai Centre
- Area Central: 23 March at Goodwood Civic Centre
- Area East: 24 March at Khayelitsha Library
To find out what is happening at your local library during SALW, click here.
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Delft Library uses PlayStation to get kids to read and do homework
Picture: City of Cape Town
