The City of Cape Town’s libraries are putting their best book forward this year for National Book Week.

Celebrated annually, the initiative encourages South Africans to value reading as a fun and pleasurable activity and to showcase how reading can become part of daily life.

According to statistics, nearly 60% of households do not own a leisure reading book; only 14% of the population are active book readers and a mere 5% of parents read to their children.

‘These statistics are a stark reminder of the work we need to do to improve the public’s relationship with books and their libraries. Apart from the great joy that comes with leisure reading, there is also the equally important aspect of continued learning and the expansion of one’s world view.

‘South Africa also has a challenge with literacy rates and so children need to develop a relationship with books early on. I encourage parents to use our libraries as a starting point for guidance and advice on how to get their children hooked on books, but also for themselves,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security; and Social Services, Alderman JP Smith.

To mark National Book Week and the annual Open Book Festival, which happens over the same period, several City libraries are hosting special activities. These include a memoir writing workshop at the Central Library, a natural heritage workshop at Ottery Library and a conversation with Jeremy Vearey at Elsies River Library.

For the Open Book Festival programme, please go to https://openbookfestival.co.za/festival-programme/.

There is also an opportunity for patrons with overdue library materials to make amends and return these, fine free, for the week. There are more than 20 000 items including books, study guides and DVDs that are long overdue at the City’s libraries, valued at around R2 million. 

‘We are making it easy for those who may feel a little embarrassed about returning items after such a long time. They can drop off the items at their nearest library, but there will also be drop boxes at 10 malls around the city where library staff will be on duty to ensure that material is returned to the correct library once received,’ said Alderman Smith.

Drop boxes will be available on Saturday 8 September from 12:00 to 16:30 at the following malls:

Gugulethu Mall
Vangate Mall
Blue Route
Promenade
Cape Gate
Parow Centre
Watergate
Khayelitsha Mall
Tablebay Mall
Longbeach Mall

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