In the fast-paced age of Kindles and audiobooks, you may have forgotten the pleasure of feeling the weight of a book in your hands. Although you can get things done while listening to an audio book, sometimes its good to get away to a quiet space where you won’t be distracted and you feed your mind with the wonders found in print.
Here are some beautiful libraries in South Africa that will rekindle your love for books and reading.
Also read: Ultra-modern Helsinki library opens on Finland’s 100-year anniversary of independence
National Library of South Africa
The National Library of South Africa is one of the most recognisable buildings in Cape Town (Source: Twitter)
The National Library of South Africa, located in central Cape Town, was founded in 1887 and is a public resource centre, an archive and an advocacy and development institution under the National Department of Arts and Culture.
CL Marais Library
CL Marais Library is located in the picturesque town of Stellenbosch (Source: Twitter)
The beautiful CL Marais Library is located on the main campus of Stellenbosch University and was the first library building erected on the university’s campus, thanks to a generous donation from a benefactor by the name of Mr CL Marais. Construction on the library began in 1900 and was completed in 1901.
Port Elizabeth Main Library
The Port Elizabeth National Library is a well-known building not just in the province, but throughout the country (Source: Twitter)
The beautiful old Port Elizabeth Main Public Library is situated in the North-Western corner of Market Square. The first building on the site was constructed in 1835 and was used as a courthouse from 1854.
Centre for the Book
Centre for the Book is a popular Cape Town wedding venue (Source: Twitter)
The Centre for the Book is housed in a historic Edwardian building situated at 62 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town. It is known as a popular wedding venue in the city which can accommodate up to 200 people.
Sandton Central Library
Sandton Central Library offers readers three floors of reading material (Source: Sandton Central Library)
This library is located on Nelson Mandela Square and has three floors of reading material for bibliophiles to immerse themselves in. The library offers a collection of over 92,000 books as well as audiobooks, videos, music CDs, language tapes, the local daily and weekly newspapers, periodicals, and Provincial and Government Gazettes.
Although Sandton Library is open to all members of the community, a paid membership is required should you wish to borrow material. To join, take along a copy of your ID and proof of residency and fill out a form at the Sandton Library. There is an annual fee of R48.
Picture: Pixabay
