Public Libraries in South Africa

This paper is based on recent research into the financing and governance of public libraries in South Africa. The writer defines a public library as any library, other than a national library, from which members of the public borrow books.

Key research findings were that all Provinces needed more money to buy books, and that capacity to run and manage libraries varied between provinces and municipalities

”Most provincial directors believed that if the Library and Information Services were clearly under their direction they would be able to implement important and necessary controls, particularly over the qualifications and capacity of staff employed in libraries. In this regard they have a point. Staff qualification issues were raised by many librarians, particularly the question of how library workers are defined. In one province the term "librarian" applied to everyone who worked in the library, "from the ex-cleaner who is now in charge with barely a Std 8 to the professional graduate". The question of appropriate training for librarians and nationally recognized levels of competence with equally agreed salaries across the board has emerged as a major need in the public library sector. All libraries lacked sufficient staff.

Most provincial Library and Information Services provide books for libraries, though many municipalities also provide funds for books. The Western Cape and Eastern Cape have a system whereby books are loaned to libraries: the theory is that there is a large pool of material which is available for all libraries to use. However this has led to books never reaching those smaller or newer libraries which have a poor infrastructure and are physically remote from the provincial headquarters. The success of this system is also dependent upon an efficient provincial library service. Many libraries have had no new books for years."

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