Fish Hoek Library is a
public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants.
There are ...
in the seaside suburb of
Fish Hoek in
Cape Town,
South Africa. It was ranked 5th in the
City of Cape Town's top circulating libraries in 2015
The library provides access to two online
encyclopedia
An encyclopedia (American English) or encyclopædia (British English) is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge either general or special to a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles ...
s. The library's holdings can be searched online via the City of Cape Town's Open Public Access Catalogue (OPAC).
Fish Hoek is a
bedroom community with approximately 12,000 residents. To allow commuters to access resources, the library is open on Monday and Thursday evenings. The library opened on 1 April 1954 in an old municipal building and was run for the next 36 years by Ethel May Gillard.
The library opened its current location in 1988
The children's section of the library is used by grandparents who are taking care of their grandchildren while parents are working in the city. On Friday mornings, the library operates a Story Hour for small children.
As part of the Smartcape initiative for poor residents of Cape Town, the library also offers free access to 10 computers, which can be used to edit documents, create presentations and access the internet. Also a part of community outreach programs is a book service to local old-age homes, as well as specialised services to local home schoolers.
The library holds a monthly literary tea talk, featuring local authors, who visit to discuss their books and conducts a regular book sale. Originally begun as a fundraising event, the annual "Library Alive" promotional fundraiser is now a regular annual event.
In 2015, the library implemented the annual "Blown Away By Books" festival. Although originally presented by Fish Hoek Library, the festival has now grown to include nearby libraries in Masiphumelele, Ocean View, Kommetjie and Simons Town.
On the second and last Saturdays of the month, the library hosts a craft market.
The library in the
Masiphumelele township was managed by the Fish Hoek library from 2003 until 2010,
when it was reclassified as a separate branch.
See also
*
Rondebosch Library
*
University of Cape Town Libraries
References
Libraries in Cape Town
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