Libraries

The Library and Archives Services forms an important part of the services offered to the people of the Western Cape. The entire community has the right to free access to library and information services.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport seeks to develop, transform and promote sustainable library, information and archives services. Providing information is a key service. The reason for this is that it promotes a culture of reading, library use and learning that enriches the whole community. Library Services ensures that this information is free, equitable and accessible to everyone.

Sustainable library, information and archives services contributes to nation building; good governance; social and human capital development; and sustainable economic growth and opportunities.

 

Western Cape Archives & Records Service

Most significant events in history are recorded. Western Cape Archives and Records Services (Archives and Records Services) collects, manages and preserves records that form part of our archival heritage. These records are preserved for use by government and people of South Africa.

Archives and Records Services is the oldest archives in South Africa, holding written records dating from 1651when the first colonial settlement by the Dutch was established. Records held are not only written records but also images, sound and electronic data.

The core functions of Archives and Records Services include:

• Providing access to records
• Records management
• Preserving records

Archival records consist of documents that are created to record significant landmarks in peopleâ??s lives. Examples of these would be birth, death, marriage, divorce and death. These records began as government records created by government departments to document aspects of life such as applying for passports and identity documents.

Some government departments create records of their functions, such as urban planning, agriculture, housing, healthcare and education to name a few. It is important therefore for Archives and Records Services to promote and coordinate cooperation between various departments and institutions. Archives and Records Services is therefore in the business of documenting lives to ensure that they are accessible to the public.

Archival records are made up of public records and non-public records. Public records are created by government, government departments and organisations in the course of performing their functions. Non-public records are private records and papers created by private individuals and donated to the Archives and Records Services.