MUCH like the characters in a Lemony Snicket novel, the three-year renovation of the Windhoek public library has met with a series of unfortunate events.
However, despite being besieged by bees, leaky air-conditioning, faulty work on shelving and tiles as well as the continuing delay in wiring for the computer labs, The director of Libraries and Archive Services, Veno Kauaria, believes that they are nearing the end of the yellow brick road. ‘We are just waiting for Schoemans to complete the wiring of the computer lab and we still need to finish shelving all the books,’ says Kauaria. ‘We don’t want to open, and then have to close for computers and annoy the public when they have been waiting for three years.’ Currently a far cry from the dark, dingy and dated establishment that closed its doors in February 2009, the public library now boasts two chandeliers, brightly lit aisles, gleaming white tiles, brand new bookshelves and study cubicles as well as a cute and colourful children’s section. ‘We wanted to modernise the library not only in terms of technology but also in terms of creating an atmosphere of colour and convenience in which people want to linger,’ says Kauaria. ‘When we open we will also cater for the workforce with extended weekday hours from 08h00 till 20h00 as well as with a business area in which people can sit on sofas and use the Wi-Fi or simply read during their lunch break.’Though the renovation of the library has had its fair share of setbacks with third- party contractors, the return of the queen bee as well as problems with tenders; Kauaria also believes the public has perhaps underestimated the scope of the work that needed to be done.’We have thousands of books and each one had a handwritten label on it. Each book then had to have this label removed, a new label typed and a security slip inserted for our automated security system,’ says Kauaria. ‘We have processed over 10 000 books and between the repair, renovation, shelving and processing of new and old books it has really been a huge project.’With the main library looking just about ready to go despite some gaping holes where books need to be shelved; perhaps the most exciting renovation is that of the children’s library. Boasting a caterpillar checkout counter and wonderland mural, designed by Retha Hayes, and looking forward to the addition of a flatscreen TV, two computers and an X-box games console, the children’s library hopes to encourage a love of learning at an early age. ‘We want to encourage reading and the appreciation of libraries as educational institutions from very early on, that’s why we have made the children’s library as engaging as possible,’ says Kauaria. ‘To the majority, libraries are a new concept; they think it’s a place where you can only take out a book to read. They don’t see libraries as a place where you can learn, meet new people, have discussions and really listen to a book.’Three years later and apparently on the brink of a new beginning, Kauaria is loath to give a date for the grand reopening and can only say that it will be soon and will usher in an era of free membership, free access to internet and computer training. Certainly impressive at first glance, and with a scattering of students already making use of the cubicles to study, it is easy to forget that the library is still full of unpacked boxes and devoid of computers. This, however; does not negate the hope that Windhoek will soon have a public library to be proud of as the tireless library staff edge towards the conclusion of this never-ending story.
