City's mobile library service to be phased out

21 January 2021

The City of Cape Town's Library and Information Service will phase out its mobile library service within the coming months. Read more below:

'It is the end of the road for the City's mobile library service, which has a membership of about 3 000. The mobile service has been plagued with maintenance issues, and in the past financial year there were reduced or no services on 113 days due to the buses being serviced or having to be repaired,' said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

The service, which operates from a depot in Ndabeni, had a limited geographical reach and provided basic access to some library materials and photocopy services with very minimal programmes (such as storytelling and library orientation). 

'The current fleet of three buses provided a service to 28 stops, mostly situated in the Southern Suburbs and City central. Of the fleet of three, two of the buses have more than 30 years of service with the third one being relatively new and in service since 2014. It is very unfortunate that we cannot continue the service due to factors such as the aging fleet,’ said Councillor Badroodien.

Patrons are requested to use the libraries in their vicinity.
 
Currently there are 6 108 items still out on loan in the communities that these buses serve.

Since the lockdown from 27 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the buses have not been out to these communities, which has resulted in patrons still having the items out on loan.

Under the current circumstances, the buses are not able to go out to collect the outstanding items. Patrons are therefore urged to return their items to their nearest libraries so that these can be made available to other library users as well.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office