Eikendal Library in Kraaifontein will be temporarily closed from Monday October 31.
The 36-year-old library will undergo an upgrade worth more than R2.5 million. The upgrades are anticipated to take until the middle of next year to complete.
Work to be done includes an extension to the front of the main library and a smaller extension to the back, which includes a new kitchen and an extended workroom.
There will be a complete electricity upgrade which will include all new wiring and a new distribution board and alterations to the issue desk, with SmartCape being moved to a better location within the library.
“The major changes to the Eikendal Library will improve the visitor experience and encourage patrons to spend more time in the new space. This will go a long way towards ensuring that the library is an accessible and inviting space. We want this library and all others to be places where residents feel at home and will want to spend their free time enjoying all that the library has to offer,” said Mayco member for community services Anda Ntsodo.
He added, “libraries have moved away from solely being centres of reading to serving as centres of broader opportunity. The library of the 21st century is a place where residents can share ideas, access job and business opportunities online, and engage in life-long learning.
“It is important that we continue to maintain and upgrade our libraries so that they can continue to serve our communities, in line with our commitment to creating an opportunity city.”
The library is due to reopen at the end of July 2017 if all goes according to plan. This time period allows for the builders’ holidays and the anticipated construction period, followed by the internal refurbishment.
The City has appealed to readers and users of the library to bear with them and is encouraging them to use other libraries in Kraaifontein and Scottsdene in the interim.
