Public Libraries Stepping into the Gap?

A Study of School Learners' Use of Libraries in a Disadvantaged Community in Cape Town

Abstract

The paper describes an investigation of school learners' use of the two public libraries in a disadvantaged community on the outskirts of Cape Town. Over 850 school learners were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in late October 2002. The study supports claims that public libraries in South Africa are having to compensate for the shortage of school libraries and are playing a crucial role in formal education. It recommends that this reality be recognised by the libraries' governance structures, by provincial and local government authorities, and, above all, by national and provincial education authorities. Questions are, however, asked about the capacity of the public libraries for an enhanced role in information literacy education.