Three maintenance workers service 87 libraries in Joburg
Libraries are poorly maintained and there is no answer as to when they will open on Saturdays again.
Libraries in Johannesburg are facing numerous challenges and for most, there is no resolution in sight.
This was the sad but honest outcome at the Friends of Olivedale Library (Fools) speakers’ morning on October 18, which included talks from officials at Johannesburg Libraries.
While the regional manager for Johannesburg Libraries in Region C, Faith Sixpence, and the manager of e-learning programs at the entity, Jeff Nyoka, spoke about some of the newer online initiatives that are on the go, most attendees wanted answers about whether libraries will open again on Saturdays, when the toilets will be fixed at Olivedale Library and whether the small sign on the road outside would be replaced with a larger one.
“Many in the community either work or have school so they can only come to the library on the weekends. It would be great if libraries were open on Saturdays like they were in lockdown,” Fools chairperson Bette Kun said during a questions and answers session. “We can no longer host book sales on Saturdays to raise funds for new books at the library, so less money is coming from that.”
Sixpence’s response was there is still a labour issue about the staff working overtime. Until this is resolved, there will be no definitive answer. Furthermore, she cited issues at libraries all across the city, including bulbs being out for months, staff shortages, no working taps, libraries having no internet, and some libraries not even having signs. She said there are only three maintenance workers servicing 87 libraries across the city, and there is an enormous backlog of work.
Kun said some Fools members were even willing to volunteer to help on Saturdays so librarians would not have to.
Sixpence and Nyoka said they personally hoped libraries would reopen on Saturdays but it was not up to them, unfortunately.
Nyoka gave a presentation on the online books that could be read and learning tools available through Joburg Libraries’ e-learning initiative. These are to promote computer skills among the community especially the elderly, literacy, entrepreneurship, and youth employment.
Olivedale library was closed for three months earlier this year apparently due to an erroneous water bill and was only re-opened after the Randburg Sun’s followed this up with Joburg Water.
Many attendees left the talk with the sense that Olivedale Library, much like the 86 other libraries in Joburg, has been forgotten about or ignored by its upper management.
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