Strand Library celebrates a page-turning 120 years

Carolyn Frost and OWN Correspondent|Published 4 months ago

Friends of Strand Library committee members, from left, Nita Blaauw, Elna Cloete, Elfie du Toit, Anna-Marie Stadler, Annalie Smit and Carina Reyneke. The Friends have collected an astonishing amount of R600 000 over the years through fund-raising efforts, predominantly book sales. PICTURE: CAROLYN FROST

Guests were treated to a wonderful array of savoury treats and cakes after the presentation.

The foyer was filled with memorabilia and information about the library’s history in the Strand community.

Guests at the event, Amina and Ebrahim Rhoda - Mr Rhoda is a well-known historian and author on the Muslim history in the Strand and Macassar areas.

Anna-Marie Stadler, chair of the Friends of Strand Library, with Aletta Joubert, Strand Councillor in 1974, who was responsible for the building of the library in the same year.

Aletta Joubert, Strand Councillor in 1974, who was responsible for the building of the library in the same year, exactly 50 years ago. Here she is, at the 120th year celebration of the existence of the library.

Anna-Marie Stadler, who has been with the Friends of Strand Library for many years, and proudly announced at the event that they had collected an astonishing amount of R600 000 over the years through fund-raising efforts, predominantly book sales.

A photograph of the old Town Hall, on th ecorner of Main and Michau streets, circa 1904 - which housed the original library.

Bolander was privileged to attend the celebration at Strand library last month, when it celebrated 120 years of service to the community.

“Strand library joins an elite group of facilities that have reached this milestone,” said the City’s mayoral committee member for community services and health, Patricia van der Ross.

She added: “It has been a beacon of hope and knowledge in the area and continues to provide an essential service to residents in the surrounding suburbs.

“Strand library is about more than the books and other material. It’s a collection and reflection of history, and an important social meeting point.”

At the event were Dr Flippie van der Walt, Ms Van der Ross, Kathleen Laishley and senior librarian at Strand, Tulisa Mahote.

Ms Laishley, of the City’s Library and Information Services, talked about the history of the facility, and shared some wonderful anecdotes.

Strand library started as a subscription library and opened on December 20 1904 in a room in the Strand Town Hall.

Within 20 years, a bigger library was needed due to growth in membership and a new library was built in Wesley Street and officially opened on September 3 1924.

In 1972, the municipality began with the building of the new library on the corner of Mills and Piet Retief streets, and decided to join the Cape Provincial Library Service.

The new library was a free municipal service and officially opened on August 29 1974.

The library’s current membership is at 5 450 and annual circulation is 185 357 items. This is the fourth highest circulation out of the City’s 102 libraries.

Anna-Marie Stadler, chair of the Friends of Strand Library, told Bolander that the celebrations for this auspicious event of the 120th birthday, were 100% sponsored by the Friends.

"All in all we must have spent R15 000 on extra furniture, tablecloths, upgrading of the garden and foyer, and everything for the party,“ she said.

Friends member, Elfie du Toit, has been with the library since 1974, first as a staff member and librarian, and after her retirement, working as a Friend – 50 years!).

Some of the most popular local fiction authors are locals Rudie van Rensburg and Christelle Wessels, and international writers Lucinda Riley and Colleen Hoover. Recipe books are popular non-fiction items.

Some of the library’s highlights include:

In 2022 Strand library partnered with Tape Aids and the talking books service was launched for the avid reader, 1 000 Stories Before School was launched the same year and introduced to the community through outreach programmes to the local clinics

● In 2023, Strand library ventured into a partnership with Hendrik Louw Primary School after the school library closed down.

There are weekly class visits to the library and Strand library has since won first runner-up in the Innovation Category at the LIS Service Recognition Awards

● Strand library won the Customer Service Award at the LIS Service Recognition Awards in 2024.

● Strand library was the first runner-up for the Innovation Award at the LIS Service Recognition Awards in 2024.

Strand is one of a dozen libraries to have crossed the 120-year threshold, and the other grand dames are:

– Woodstock (142)

– Mowbray (137)

– Claremont (129)

– Rondebosch (128)

– Somerset West (128)

– Wynberg (128)

– Observatory (126)

– Sea Point/Green Point (125)

* Muizenberg (124)

● The Friends of Strand Library will be celebrating their 25th anniversary on Wednesday November 20, with a programme of music and a book talk, which Bolander will cover as a feature story in the following edition.