Library facilities offer so much more than just the borrowing of books

MY name’s Kuhle, I’m 15 years old. I got my first library card at Plumstead Library when I was aged between seven to eight years. It’s very exciting to have my own library card. Before that I had been borrowing on my mother’s card. With my own card, I borrow more books.

I have loved and enjoyed reading for as long as I can remember. My mother tells me when she was pregnant she lived alone and didn’t have TV, she read more during that term and spoke to me a lot because health practitioners encouraged talking to children before birth. On her train ride to/from work she’d read a book. At the time, she was also completing her ECD Diploma and her courses encouraged reading for children, as soon as pregnancy starts, for speech and sound development. Since I was born, there have been lots of books in our house, and we have been passionate library users for as long as I can remember. After getting my library card, I have read every book I was allowed to take out, some twice and even thrice. My mom and I’d go to the library almost every day. Sometimes she’d need to run errands and so I’d ask to stay there until she was back. I became a very familiar face at Plumstead library.

I realised that the library has more for me than books to explore. I entered annual reading challenges and reading competitions and, as a result, I have won a lot of stationery and books. I knew about all library raffles and fundraising events. I would do my homework in the library, or at least pretend to, just to get a moment to read a book my mom would not let me borrow because I was “too young”. In 2018 I visited Wynberg Library for the first time and was fascinated by the size of it, plus the extensive collection of their books. I love to explore new books, it feeds my imagination. I’d love to visit Cape Town City library one day, my mom tells me it’s even bigger than Wynberg Library.

I’ve always dreamed of becoming a librarian – librarians are always kind, calm and open to helping with a smile.

In August 2022 I started volunteering at Plumstead Library on Saturdays, where I get mentored to co-facilitate a teen club. Our teen club is growing monthly and we get to do fun, educational and bookish games and activities. We also raise awareness on social conscious subjects.

I have met so many people and made friends at the library.

I get a wonderful feeling and it’s a great experience to be part of such a powerful community.

- Kuhle, Library user