Rosemary Van Wyk Smith is the hard-working chairperson of the Grahamstown Friends of the Library, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. We quizzed her about the Friends’ ongoing support to four local libraries.
Rosemary Van Wyk Smith is the hard-working chairperson of the Grahamstown Friends of the Library, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. We quizzed her about the Friends’ ongoing support to four local libraries.
Q: Why is there a need for the Grahamstown Friends of the Library?
A: We’re needed because of the lack of facilities and because the offi cial provision of books to the libraries has been so poor. It was decided that a Friends organisation a support base would be a good idea.
It started off with fundraising activities and books being bought to supplement the holdings in the libraries. But since then gaps were also found in technical things that the libraries needed.
Also, we soon found that while there was a need to get more and better books into the libraries there was also a need to encourage literacy to encourage children to read.
Q: Are there many other Friends organisations in other parts of the country?
A: No. I wish there were. I think we should try to spread the idea. There are Friends of museums and nature reserves, but I’m not aware of other Friends of the Library organisations.
Somebody wrote to us from Port Alfred saying that they wanted to start a Friends – we sent lots ofsuggestions, but never heard of a branch being started.
Q: What are some of the strengths of the local library services?
A: We have a municipal library committee headed up by Prof Michael Whisson – we know that that is quite effective and we can take things to them. But, it’s not just the local municipality that should be supporting libraries – it’s also the job of the province. The Hill Street library is a pretty library and has some nice Victorian furniture. It does need some renovation, though, which will depend on a municipal budget.Another strength is that we have three satellite libraries in the town and very co-operative head librarians who we meet with. But, I think it would be wonderful if we had a mobile library that could reach out to country villages that don’t have libraries.
Q: And weaknesses?
A: One problem is the lack of clarity about how the role of the provincial library service. I don’t see books coming into the library.
The fact that we are raising money to buy new books – and seem to be one of the few sources is not good at all. But the main idea is that we’re supporters and friends, not managers.
Another problem is that the Hill Street library gets swamped by children seeking resources for school projects but they’re often not looking things up for themselves.
They’re just getting things photocopied. Why aren’t teachers supporting these research processes and liaising with the libraries around this project work? Also, education is much broader than the curriculum.
If children were really using libraries properly, for pleasure and for enriching their understanding of the world, this would help them along the road.
Q: Tell us about some of your projects and plans for this year.
A: There is a great need for large print books and our former head librarian, Meg Hartzenberg, does a wonderful job visiting old people’s homes in Grahamstown.
Those large print books are very, very well thumbed now! So we’re just about to spend R8 000 on large print books, which was made possible by the fact that we were recently given a generous bequest. We would also like to use the bequest to begin to support school libraries.
Q: We seem to be living in an age when most people – especially young people – do not read books for pleasure. Is this a problem and, if so, what should we be doing about it?
A: It’s a great problem. If you can read, everything is open to you. It’s like learning the piano – one should concentrate on the scales fi rst and then one can go on from there.
Q: How do you raise money?
A: We started a lecture series about four years ago. These have really fi lled a niche in Grahamstown. We’re very lucky in the Hill Street Library, to have such a nice public hall which hosts the lectures.
Many locals have offered to do talks. We also have book sales and once a year, a mini-fête. We have a wonderful Friends committee who do a lot of work.
In fact, the Friends of the Library has become like a full-time job! There isn’t a day that passes that something doesn’t happen!
Q: Apart from attending Friends lectures and sales, what else could locals do to support libraries?
A: They could volunteer to help out. A number of Rhodes students volunteer in the libraries, but there could be more community volunteers.
Q: What are you currently reading?
A:I’ve just finished Colm Toibin’s novel Brooklyn, which is great. And I’m just about to start Antony Beevor’s Stalingrad.
I also read his D-Day: The Battle of Normandy and he’s absolutely wonderful. They are both library books bought with funds from the Friends. I’ll return them soon so someone else can enjoy them!
