CoJ partially reopens Johannesburg City Library
Doors opened on Friday in the first phase of the reopening, giving the public access to the first floor of the three-storey heritage site.
The Johannesburg City Library. Picture: X/JDA_joburg
JOHANNESBURG - The City of Johannesburg has partially reopened its library after it was shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic and then for repair work.
Doors opened on Friday in the first phase of the reopening, giving the public access to the first floor of the three-storey heritage site.
The reopening of the library coincided with the country's Library Week and Human Rights Day.
The public will have access to the first floor of the library, which houses more than 1.5 million books, including newspaper archives and special collections.
There is no confirmation of when the library will be fully operational.
During a site visit in August, city officials said the leaking roof and drainage system needed to be repaired, and the installation of a fire system was also needed to ensure compliance with regulations.
Areas that will be operational from Monday include the young adult reference library space for high school pupils, the central lending section, the children's library, and the reference section for in-depth research and academic study.
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero on Friday said that approximately R37 million had been spent on the project, with an additional R20 million needed to conclude the work.