AFTER close to three years the Windhoek public library could reopen its doors by January next year.
Following repeated setbacks, staff at the library on Friday said it appears that this time, the renovations are being finalised and the Ministry of Education is ‘aiming for next year January’ to welcome the public back.But the delays have left a bitter taste in some people’s mouths.’It reflects badly on us,’ an avid reader and supporter of libraries, Windhoek resident Dr Neville Cupido, said on Friday. ‘You have a lot of war-torn countries, and they have functioning libraries. And this is our capital city. Namibian people seem to have just become indifferent to these things,’ he said. Cupido said he was ‘very angry’ about the delays which have kept the doors of the library closed for 35 months so far. When the renovation project began in February 2009, the Director of Libraries, Veno Kauaria, said the the library would reopen before the end of 2009.But, hampered by severe setbacks such as funding and individual projects which had to be redone in several stages, the doors remained closed.Library staff on Friday said the issue has been equally frustrating for them. The delays were caused by several issues, including ‘government red tape and budget’ and faulty contracting work. Several projects had to be redone such as plumbing, the air-conditioners, tiling and painting. Even nature played a crucial part in the delays, such as the heavy rains last year which meant that paint took longer to dry and started. Another problem was swarms of bees that were removed repeatedly. On Friday, honey was still leaking from the ceiling onto the new bookshelves.’Things just didn’t go the way they were supposed to go’ a staff member said. Cupido on Friday said that the lack of public outrage about the situation was a possible sign that Namibians ‘have given up on public activism’.’Nobody is upset about it. Nobody is upset about anything.’He said the lack of a public library in a society which is already struggling with literacy rates could mean the beginning of ‘a long goodbye to education’. ‘Eventually people will just not bother anymore.’He said reading encourages others to read, but because of the high price of books, many people’s only access to reading material is a public library. ‘If there aren’t any books, where do people go?’ But, when the library does reopen, it promises to boost participation with a range of innovative and inviting features and zero membership fees. This is according to librarians who are hard at work finalising the last steps to ensure the library is ready to open by January or February ‘at the latest’.The upgraded version of the public library will feature a computer lab with free Internet access, an interactive children’s section dotted with playful and contemporary features and furniture such as mobile bookshelves, a DVD section and an X-box games console. The new library will also feature an audio book centre sponsored by the Rotary Club and is fully wheelchair accessible. Furthermore, a modern security system is being installed which will control book theft electronically. Staff at the library say that despite the frustrations and the delays, they are happy with the final results. ‘Before we started the renovations our technology was limited to a telephone, desk fan and photocopier. Now we have proper lighting which is no longer fire hazard, proper shelves, a computer lab. So we are happy’. And there is palpable optimism in the air, that this time, the promises that the library will soon reopen, will be kept.’We are currently sorting out the books. The new consignment of books have arrived. The computers for the lab will be installed in December and then Bob’s your uncle.’
