BELLVILLE
Woensdag, 26 Augustus 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | e-pos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za
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LIBRARIAN: ‘ITS BEEN AN EMOTIONAL WEEK’
Library rises from ashes after fire NIELEN DE KLERK @nielendk
T
he next book you take home from the Bellville Library may have more than its average story to tell. The public institution has had a year best left to science fiction novels. First, they dealt with loadshedding, vagrants and water shortages. Then, the library had to close doors due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Just as staff started looking forward to opening their doors to the public again, they were dealt a devastating blow when a fire broke out and destroyed two offices and an overflow facility, ravaging valuable items and leaving a thick trail of soot in its wake (and on hundreds of books). But, to borrow a term from Greek mythology (and the Harry Potter books), the library and its staff are like the phoenix rising from the ashes. Chief librarian, Veniwe Robo, says it’s been an emotional few weeks. She was the only staff member in the building when the fire broke out on 13 July. Contractors were fixing cables that week and the library had to be sanitised after their daily visits. She was sitting in her office, waiting for the cleaning company, when she noticed smoke in her building. She ran out and saw heavy smoke in the corridor, especially emanating from a specific office. She knew there was no-one in the office, but says it sounded like someone was there. “I started shouting (to the person in the office),” she says, the trauma of that day still palpable in her voice. It was empty.
New York se liggies wink
A security guard then ran up to her and told her to leave the premises. She grabbed her things. The other office was empty. She called the fire brigade from the security desk, but they were already on their way. The fire brigade took around an hour to extinguish the fire. When they left, the devastation was clear: the office of a senior librarian, Marietjie Bessinger, was completely destroyed, along with 30 years of her hard work and many, many documents pertaining to her work. Another office was partially destroyed, as well as the “stack room” which is an overflow facility which houses new books that are still unsorted as well as books that go to old age homes. “It was a nightmare,” says Robo. “It was so unexpected (and) very traumatic).” Yet, she says, she has recovered. “I had to be strong.” The exact cause of the fire is unknown, but it’s believed that electric cables caught fire when they were placed under a leaking roof. For weeks staff have been busy cleaning the hundreds of books damaged by the fire in a painstaking process which has involved cleaning every book individually. They finally finished last week, just in time for their first new customers since the start of lockdown. Only staff will be allowed inside the building as yet and patrons will have to make do with a drop-and-collect system. V To page 4
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