South African Public Libraries After Apartheid

Abstract

One of the challenges a postcolonial society has to face is reconciliation, the righting of wrongs and forgiveness. In South Africa, this includes the integration of all ethnic groups into every part of society. Public libraries are one such part of society. This paper studies the changes that have been going on in South African public libraries since the end of Apartheid. The paper also explores how public libraries can play a role in the preservation of all South African cultures, with a view to the future and the essential role of public libraries in post-Apartheid society.