In the Potchefstroom Herald of 13 June 2024 it was reported that Potchefstroom had been without a library for three weeks from 17 May to 7 June 2024. This happened after its computer system was shut down due to the fact that through an oversight the municipality did not pay the licensing fees to the provider of this system, Universal Knowledge Software. An amount of more than R64 000 had to be paid. By this late payment the municipality forfeited a discount of R50 500.
This closure was one of only a few times the library was closed for an extended period. This happened during the Covid pandemic when the library was closed as prescribed by government rules. At the end of 1981 and beginning of 1982, when the library moved from its former building to the current one, it was also closed.
Over many years the Potchefstroom library was an inexhaustible source of exiting reading matter. This is still the case, even if the internet and other media started to consume the time that people in the past had devoted to reading.
The Carnegie Library was Potchefstroom’s first permanent library, its building funded by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It opened in 1914 and together with the Town Hall, which stands directly to its south, was declared a National Monument on 23 July 1993. (See my article on the Town Hall: https://lenniegouws.co.za/stadsaal-is-meer-as-n-eeu-oud/ ). The Carnegie Library and Town Hall are currently Grade 2 Provincial Heritage Sites. The former library now houses the offices of the speaker of the city council.
More than a hundred years old
The Potchefstroom Library have been in continuous service to the community for 115 years.
However, a reading room existed much further back in 1867 and was housed in the Agricultural Hotel. The Agricultural Hotel was only temporary and opened by TE Depradines. This was during the first Agricultural Show in 1967 and was situated in the, up to then, unoccupied residence of OWA Forssman on the north-western corner of Lombard and Church Streets (James Moroka and Walter Sisulu). See my article on Forssman at: https://lenniegouws.co.za/street-names-reflect-history-4-d-e-and-f/
The first public library was founded in 1878. This is according to the publication of an advertisement: “Read’s Library. Books always for circulation. Subscription 30s (shillings) per annum. Read Bros. Proprietors.”
In the 1880s a library existed in Kruger Street (Beyers Naudé) on the south-western corner with Wolmarans Street. It was managed by teachers. During the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) most of the books were lost and the library stopped functioning.
In 1902 the firm Cawood opened a subscription library in Church Street (Walter Sisulu) near the Royal Hotel which stood on the south-eastern corner with Lombard Street (James Moroka), but this was not successful, as was an attempt in 1904 to begin a library.
A further library was founded on 26 May 1906 with a small donation of books from six residents of Potchefstroom. The donors were Messrs Maxwell, Lyte, Edgell, Altmann, Bonebakker and Dr Dyer. See: https://lenniegouws.co.za/beauty-from-a-bygone-era-5-nieuwe-street/ (about the Bonebakker house). With more books purchased the collection amounted to 615.
The first librarian was a Mr Wade, who promptly resigned after he was unable to manage his business together with his duties as librarian. He was replaced by a Miss Brown.
After the 1906 attempt had also not been successful, the town council, in 1909, aided the founding of a library. The collection of books (1 200) and members (30) of this private library, administered by Mrs A Betts (néé Brown), were taken over and housed in a room in the recently completed Town Hall. The Potchefstroom Library was officially founded in May 1910 with Mr Louis Gerber as librarian. He served until his retirement in the 1940s, after which he received a life-long honorary membership to the library in gratitude for his decades of service.
As early as 1909 a request was made to the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie for a donation to build a library. Numerous letters were exchanged and the donation was only approved after the town council undertook to:
- Present the services of the library free of charge (without a subscription fee) to the public,
- Maintain the building to be used for the purpose of a library free of charge, and
- If the building was to be replaced at a later stage, make sure that the locality of the new building would be as favourable as the current building.
Although the Carnegie pledged a donation for the building of a library, the Potchefstroom town council dragged its feet for more than a year in deciding where the library should be built. Eventually the site directly north of the Town Hall with its entrance in King Edward Street (formerly Church Street and now Walter Sisulu) was chosen. Read about these street name changes at: https://lenniegouws.co.za/street-names-reflect-history-16-the-lost-street-names-of-potchefstroom/
The Carnegie Library was completed in 1914. It is the work of the architects NT Crown and LM Powers, who designed all the other Carnegie Libraries in the country. Mr Andrew Carnegie donated £2 500 ($12 175) to the costs. This covered building costs, fittings and furnishings. The contractor was Otto Schluter.
The portico and gabled shapes were aligned with the Town Hall to constitute a unity. The original building consisted of a lending library, reading room, ladies’ reading room, hall and librarian’s office. After the new library had opened in 1982, this building was used by the public relations department of the municipality. It now houses the offices of the speaker of the city council.
The Carnegie Library and Town Hall as it appeared on a postcard, shortly after completion. The Potchefstroom Herald wrote on 6 September 1914: “Future generations will look back upon the provision of this institution as one of the landmarks of progress in our civic life, and we trust its career will be useful and prosperous.” Photo: Gawie van der Walt Postcard Collection
The Scottish philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). After the initial donation Carnegie also donated money in 1921 to buy books. (Another source noted that the request was denied.) By that time the library had a collection of 9 837 books. From 1888 onwards Carnegie donated money to have 2 509 libraries built all over the world. In South Africa he funded the building of 12 library buildings of which five still stand, including the one in Potchefstroom. See: https://www.theheritageportal.co.za/article/five-lost-seven-remain-carnegie-libraries-south-africa
“An artistic and compact appearance”
The Herald reported 6 September 1914 that the doors of the library are now open to the public. The article described the building:
The building presents an artistic and compact appearance, being in the Renaissance style. The entrance portico has a dome plastered ceiling, on the exterior of which is displayed the word ‘Bibliotheek’ – the Dutch equivalent for Library, while ‘Carnegie Library’ appears in the mosaic work on the floor of the entrance.
Immediately facing the entrance hall is the Librarian’s office, the situation of which is such that this official is able to command a view of the entire interior of the building, an arrangement which should greatly facilitate supervision, and the exercise of proper control.
On the right is the Ladies’ Room in which will be placed periodicals and literature exclusively for the fair sex, next to which, on the same side, is a door leading to the spacious Lending and Reference Library in which there is already a total of 5 000 volumes, calculated to meet the tastes and requirements of every class of reader.
On the left is the Public Reading Room, containing three double reading stands for newspapers. There are also three tables for the use of patrons with a seating capacity of 36 people.
The whole interior panelling and fittings are of teak, and provisions have been made for ample ventilation, not alone by means of an amplitude of windows, but also by overhead ventilators and ventilating panels let into the walls. (Ventilation shafts in the walls of Edwardian buildings served the purpose to provide ventilation to indoor spaces, help regulate indoor temperatures and prevent the build-up of excess moisture in wall cavities and rooms which can lead to mould outbreaks and damage to building materials.
In a previous article, on 24 July 1914, the Herald vented its spleen about the fact that the word “Bibliotheek” is displayed more prominently than the words “Carnegie Library”. “People are wondering what ‘Bibliotheek’ means, there being many residents, and many more visitors to the town, who do not understand Dutch.”
A charming painting that was purportedly the Ladies Reading Room in the Carnegie Library of Potchefstroom by the renowned South African painter JH Pierneef and dated 3 February 1919 is in the collection of the Potchefstroom Museum. This painting is quite rare in the oeuvre of Pierneef, since he is better known for being a landscape painter and also later developed a more cubistic style. After closer scrutiny it appeared that this painting depicted another library since the windows in the painting does not correspond with those in the Potchefstroom Carnegie Library.
The Pierneef painting. Source: Potchefstroom Museum
Monument to the “glorious dead”
A memorial was erected in front of the building for local officers and men who died during the First World War (1914-1918). It was made possible by the Guild of Loyal Woman and the memorial is in the shape of a Celtic cross. The current memorial is a replica after the original one was damaged in a motor vehicle accident.
The Celtic cross that stands in front of the former library building. The original was erected by the Guild of Loyal Women as a memorial to those who died during the First World War. The marble of the original cross came from Namibia. The cross was later damaged in an accident and replaced. The original cross was made by the well-known CF Kirkbride, creator of many tombstones in the Potchefstroom Cemetery. He advertised himself as an “architectural & monumental sculptor” in a 1912 brochure “Beautiful Potchefstroom”. For many years afterwards people gathered in front of the library at the cross on Armistice Day (11 November) to remember the “glorious dead”. Photo: Dennis du Toit
By 1916 it appeared that the Ladies Reading Room was not fully utilised and it was converted into an Agricultural and Commercial Reading Room and in 1921 to a Reference Room.
In 1921 a request was sent to the Carnegie Corporation for a further donation to create a reading room for children. The request was denied.
At the time 9 837 books were available. This grew to 13 392 in 1930. By 1936 shelves were installed in the reading rooms. The town council, in 1939, provided the funds to expand the library. Building work was completed in 1940 and included a children’s room and the enlargement of the lending and reference sections.
Previously children under twelve could only visit the library if accompanied by an adult.
In 1947 a further donation of 5 000 pounds was requested from the Carnegie Corporation, which was again denied. The proposition by the town council to institute a subscription fee was strongly rejected by the Carnegie Corporation.
Instead of levying a yearly subscription fee, it was, however, required of members to pay a small amount every time they borrow books. The Recreational Club of the South African Police paid this in advance on behalf of its members and SAP members were required to present a stamped letter from the SAP confirming that they are allowed to borrow books without paying this fee! A number of these stamped letters are in the archives of the library.
After a fire destroyed the library of the Potchefstroom University College in February 1949 (see: https://lenniegouws.co.za/as-n-biblioteek-brand/ ), a letter of thanks was received by the town library for lending books to lecturers.
Membership grew to 2 680 in 1952, necessitating the building of further annexes. On 31 October 1956 the library affiliated with the Transvaal Provincial Library service. This held many advantages for the library, especially towards the variety of books and other services. The Provincial Library Services recommended that the building be renovated and in a letter it is said: “the present layout creates a morbid atmosphere”.
In 1978 branch libraries opened in Promosa and Mohadin. Purpose-built buildings for these were built in 1982.
A new library
During the latter half of the 1970s the library was bursting at its seams. On 26 June 1979 the Herald reported that the library in the previous financial year lent 250 332 books and that it had a membership of 7 521.
In 1978 the city council decided to build a new functional library and museum building and the firm Hartman, Van der Walt and Vermooten was appointed to draw plans. Building plans were approved in 1979 and building work started in 1980. The new building was built at a cost of R1,3 million.
The new library and museum complex whilst still under construction in 1981. Photo: Potchefstroom Library
The new Library and Museum Complex in Gouws Street (Sol Plaatjies) was officially opened on 5 February 1982 by the mayor, Councillor GJJ van Deventer.
At the time the municipality took over the management of the library in the military base (it was then just behind the SAWI shop). Residents of the Bult, Kanonnierspark and Dassierand were invited to make use of this library.
By 1987 membership grew to 15 294 with 257 members receiving home visits. The book collection amounted to 112 802 and while 500 000 books were lent during that year.
Miss JF Nienaber, Miss A Bakker and Mrs EE Bezuidenhout with the vehicle of the mobile library during the 1980s or 1990s. Photo: Potchefstroom Library
Chief librarians
The chief librarians that have served the library since its inception are:
1906-1909 Mr Wade and Miss Brown (later Mrs Betts)
1909-1910 Mrs Betts
1910-1947 Mr L Gerber
1947-1949 Mr PA van der Walt
1949-1953 Mrs JJ Pretorius
1953-1955 Miss EA van der Linde
1955-1971 Mrs MA le Roux
1971-2004 Mr VR Mathews
2004-2008 Mrs EE Jansen van Rensburg
2008- Mrs LZ Vavane
A file containing a number of historic documents pertaining to the library produced many interesting snippets.
Repentant thieves
The file contains two letters sent by repentant former library users who, both many years before, removed books from the library and never took it back. The one is from an elderly lady who lived in Pretoria and said that she, as a child, took a book. In her letter a donation was included to buy a new book.
The other user sent the letter accompanying the book. Both mentioned that they were convinced by their religious beliefs to repent and make restitution.
More than books
By 2008 the services of the library had long been not only the loaning of books. Members could also borrow CD’s, CD-ROM’s, DVD’s, videos and magazines.
Anybody walking into a library to look for something and be confronted with rows upon rows of shelves will know it is not an easy task to find a book. Earlier library users would have to consult rows of cabinets with index cards that indicated where a specific book could be found. This is known as the Dewey Decimal System, a universal index system used by all libraries over the world, dating from 1876.
The airy interior of the library as it appeared during the 1990s. Photo: Potchefstroom Library
By 2008 this system was computerised and library users were then able to find books by searching the author’s name, or title, or even via the subject of the book. This system could, apart from telling where the book could be found, also inform the user how many copies of a specific book the library had available.
Apart from this a library guide, who precisely knew where to find books on any possible subject, is always available to assist readers in person to find books.
For many years the library also kept a calendar of activities in the town. This was electronically available and also published in the form of a pamphlet.
Services in 2008 included an extensive reference section available for learners needing to do assignments and projects. Books in this section are not available to be borrowed, but can only be used in the library. It is situated in a spacious area with ample tables and chairs.
Apart from reference books, the library also has many sets of encyclopaedias, an extensive series of handbooks for all school subjects and a newspaper cutting service. In this collection information from newspapers and magazines about a wide selection of subjects are kept.
One of the sources that are much in demand in the reference section, is information on careers and professions. Apart from books about this, the library yearly gathers pamphlets and brochures to keep this source as recent as possible. The reference section is of inestimable worth to learners and students who do not have access to the internet.
Learning to read through play
The children’s library is a kid-friendly place where young ones can learn to love to read. The toy library was later added, made possible by a donation from the Provincial Library Service making a large selection of educational toys available.
Mrs Karen van Jaarsveld presenting an interactive children’s story during story time at the children’s library in the 1990s. Photo: Potchefstroom Library
With the amalgamation with the Ventersdorp municipality, five new libraries were acquired, so that the JB Marks Local Municipality now has 12 libraries under its care.
The total collection of books now amounts to 219 760. Although they have many more registered members, 781 residents of Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp actively make use of the library.
For many years libraries were places of refuge for many children and adults, opening worlds of wonders in their books. Many libraries have closed in recent years. The Johannesburg Pubic Library closed during the Covid pandemic and in spite of protestations has since then not opened. The Potchefstroom Library, however, still delivers a service to the residents of the city and would hopefully do so for many years.
Sources:
Anonymous, Biblioteek bestaan sedert 1878, Potchefstroom Herald, 1988-02-23, p. 146, 147.
Anonymous, Free Library – Carnegie’s gift to Potchefstroom, Potchefstroom Herald, 1914-09-06, p. 2.
Anonymous, Carnegie Library – “Bibliotheek” – Alteration wanted, Potchefstroom Herald, 1914-07-24.
GN van den Bergh, ’n Evolusie van die kern sakebuurt van Potchefstroom in 1880, New Contree, No. 55, Mei 2008, p. 115-136.
Senex, Carnegie Library founded – 1913, Potchefstroom Herald, 1981-04-28.
