The National Library of South Africa (NLSA) proudly celebrated South African Library Week, which took place from 16 to 22 March 2026. This is an important event that aims to raise awareness of the importance of libraries and their role in improving literacy, education, and community development across the country.
The theme for the 2026 South African Library Week was “Reclaiming Knowledge, Empowering Futures”. The theme underscores the role of libraries in ensuring equitable access to information and empowering citizens through knowledge.
The NLSA is proud to have been part of the official programme launch of SA Library Week, organised nationally by the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), which was held at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall in KwaZulu-Natal on 13 March 2026, with the Executive Director: Core Services, Ms. Nokuthula Musa, rendering a message of support on behalf of the NLSA CEO.
Ms Musa expressed gratitude to LIASA for its role in planning a successful launch. “On behalf of the National Library of South Africa, I extend my sincere congratulations to the Library and Information Association of South Africa for leading this important national campaign. I further encourage all South Africans to visit their local libraries, rediscover the power of reading, and actively engage with the wealth of knowledge resources available to them.”
To support the week-long campaign, the NLSA hosted a series of activities aimed at engaging communities, promoting reading, and raising awareness about the services offered by the National Library of South Africa. This included, among others, Bibliographics and Collections Management Open Day, which took place at the Pretoria Campus; hosting of Early Childhood Development Centres from Langa and Heiderveld as part of introducing and discussing the importance of books and reading at the Centre for the Book in Cape Town; launching and introducing the Libby by OverDrive app to the general public; and hosting the first of many ‘NLSA Book Fridays’. ‘Book Fridays’ is all about book clubs coming together to exchange books and interact through reading. Books were made available for exchange by book club members, NLSA staff, library users, and a few members of the University of Pretoria, the Tshwane University of Technology, and UNISA book clubs.
NLSA staff in Cape Town visited the Fisantekraal Library in Durbanville as part of introducing and promoting NLSA services and raising awareness of the importance of reading. The NLSA was also part of the City of Tshwane Library and Information Services Library Week & Human Rights Day celebration, which took place at the Abram Mokolane Community Hall in Nellmapius Ext. 4 east of Pretoria.
Through these activities, the NLSA aims to encourage greater public engagement with libraries, inspire a culture of reading, and highlight the important role libraries play in preserving knowledge and empowering communities.