“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” This inspirational quote by Magaret Fuller summarises the importance of reading and for children to have easy access to books.

A collaboration between Siviwe Bangani, the library on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Mahikeng and Van Schaik book store led to the opening of a library at the Koi-Koi Primary School in Magogoe village on the outskirts of Mahikeng.

Siviwe, the 2018 Library and Information Association of South Africa’s Librarian of the Year, used some of the funds he received an award to purchase books, toys, and a football and rugby ball for the school. The NWU’s library provided transport and the Faculty of Law donated shelving material for the new library. Volunteers from Van Schaik also donated some calendars and note pads to the school.

Siviwe also approached Biblionef, a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town that donates books (and with offices in countries across the world), for a book donation.

The library will go a long way towards alleviating the shortage of school libraries in South Africa where only 7% of schools have a functional library.

Koi-Koi is the third primary school to be assisted with a library by the library on the campus in Mahikeng.

These staff members from the NWU Library and Information Services and Van Schaik bookstore helped set up the library at the Koi-Koi Primary School.