Offline north library a headache for eager reader
Angry resident frustrated as north library has been offline for more than a month.
Pretoria North residents are upset after the community library in Burger Street has been offline since June this year.
Russel Wiggill, an avid reader, recently contacted Rekord after the community library has been offline for five weeks.
“I try and go to the library once a week when I am off,” said Wiggle, who works in retail.
When he visited the library last week, he was again disappointed to hear the library was offline.
Besides the library being offline, Wiggil said one of the two computers in the library used by members of the public was also “always offline”.
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“People visiting the library to make use of the computers do not stream videos or such, they go there to seek jobs.”
Wiggill said about 95% of elderly people in the area often walked to the library to make use of the facility.
“When the library is offline, I can easily drive to another library to get new books. But what must the elderly people do?”
Wiggle said it was unfair to the community that the library in the area was in such a “horrendous state”.
According to Wiggle, who visits the library often, the air conditioner was also out of order not too long ago.
“The books are also in an horrendous state. If you visit the Brooklyn library you will be shocked. The library looks like an Exclusive Books store. They have the most awesome collection of books while the library in our area is always offline.”
Wiggle said he had contacted the director-general of the library to complain about the library being offline. But his grievance had nothing to do with the staff.
“She (the director) told me it was due to fibre cables which were stolen. My question is who would want to steal fibre cables?”
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Area councillor Yolanda Duvenage confirmed the library was offline due to vandalism.
“The library has been offline due to cables that were stolen in June.”
Duvenage said according to her knowledge, the offline issue should have been resolved by now and promised to follow up regarding when the library would be back online.
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