UCT counting the cost after fire destroys library

Thursday 22 April 2021, 07:50am/ Kgothatso Mohapi

Cape town: The University of Cape Town (UCT), has confirmed that the archival and published print collections kept within the Reading Room were destroyed by the flames.

The wildfire that broke out on the slopes of Table Mountain on Sunday left a trail of destruction in University.

The University says is feeling the devastation of the loss of significant institutional assets which were lost in a wildfire.

UCT’s Elijah Moholola says this was a very sad day for UCT and UCT Libraries. This loss will be felt deeply across our communities as the libraries are so critical to all of us.

The Jagger Reading Room also is amongst buildings that fire destroyed.

The team at UCT Libraries has confirmed that the archival and published print collections kept within the Reading Room were destroyed by the flames.

These included the vast majority of the African Studies Published Print Collection – approximately 70,000 items – and the entire African Studies Film Collection on DVD, about 3,500.

Other noteworthy losses included all the UCT calendars, some heavily used government publications from South Africa and the continent, as well as manuscripts and archives kept in the Reading Room for processing or digitisation.

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