The History of UCT Libraries · UCT Libraries

16th-century hand-illustrated book

A 16th-century illustrated book from the Brand van Zyl Antiquarian Collection, published by Antverpiae apud Joannem Bellerum in 1562. Title "Praxis rerum criminalium, iconibus materiae subjectae convenientibus, pulchrius quam unquam hactenus, recognita atque illustrate" by Joost de Damhouder 1507- 1581.

A Working Library

Library staff members Tom Prince and Dexter Abrahams process new acquisitions into Brand van Zyl Law Library in March 1988.

Aerial view of Groote Schuur campus taken between 1920 and 1949

Aerial view of Groote Schuur campus taken in the 1960s

Aerial view of Groote Schuur campus taken in the 1970s

Anne Hodge and RH Benjamin at Short Loans, Jagger Library

Architectural drawings of Hiddingh Hall, South African College

The architectural plans of the South African College's Hiddingh Memorial Hall building were drawn up by the offices of the architect Sir Herbert Baker. The original architectural drawings of Hiddingh Hall are housed in the Manuscripts and Archives department of UCT Libraries.

Architectural Library

At the Kipling Collection presentation in Jagger Library

At the Kipling Collection presentation in Special Collections, Jagger Library. November 1961

Attendees at the official opening of the Medical Library, 19 February 1954

Attendees at the opening of Chancellor Openheimer Library, 12 October 2001

Attendees seated at the official opening of the Medical Library, 19 February 1954

Attendees seated at the official opening of the Medical Library, 19 February 1954. On Level 8, known today as the Training Room.

Blythe Edwins

Facilities Manager at UCT Libraries Facilities department

Bolus Herbarium Library

The Bolus Herbarium Library owes its existence to Harry Bolus, a businessman, amateur botanist, and botanical artist, who bequeathed his herbarium, botanical library and a large part of his fortune to the South African College, now the University of Cape Town.

It is likely that when Harry Bolus first became interested in South African flora in 1865, Thunberg’s Flora Capensis, the first two volumes of Harvey and Sonder’s Flora Capensis, and perhaps Harvey’s Genera of South African Plants were all that were available to him. Today, the Bolus Library contains a great wealth of early botanical works including the writings of early travellers who visited southern Africa and explored its flora–such as Commelin’s Horti Medici Amstelodamensis, published in 1697 and 1701.

Harry Bolus developed his library by obtaining books from Europe through C. Louis Leipoldt, whose medical studies he sponsored in London. In 1946, Leipoldt’s library was bequeathed to the Bolus Herbarium.

In 1948, Henri Fourcade, by profession, a land surveyor based in the southern Cape, left his herbarium, botanical library, as well as funds (originally destined for the Royal Society), to the Bolus Herbarium. A further valuable bequest was received in the form of General J.C. Smuts’s botanical library, some funds and part of his herbarium collection, in 1950. Together these bequests have made it possible to continue building up this extra-ordinary library.

Bongani Mayosi Health Sciences Library

The first university medical library in South Africa came into being in 1912, with the establishment of the Medical School of the South African College. After the medical school was built, library medical books and journals were relocated in 1928, from Orange street into three rooms on the top floor of the Pathology Block of the Wernher and Beit complex. Mr Harvey assumed the new role as Medical Librarian from 1928 until his retirement in 1931.

In the 1940s, building plans were drafted for a new Medical Library to accommodate the growing medical materials and readers. The new Medical Library was built in 1953 and officially opened on 19 February 1954, despite construction delays due to World War II and other considerations.

In 2020, the late Professor Bongani Mayosi was honoured with the renaming of the Health Sciences Library.

BORIS (Borrowers' Information Service) pamphlet, 1990

Brand Van Zyl Law Library

The Brand van Zyl Law Library is named after the Right Honourable Major Gideon Brand van Zyl, Governor-General of the Union of South Africa from 1946 to 1950, who donated his family’s library to the University of Cape Town in 1949. The Law Library became a separate branch library of the UCT Libraries system in 1962.

At that time, the Library was situated on the University’s Orange Street campus in central Cape Town. The Library moved to the University’s upper campus on the slopes of Devil’s Peak in the 1970s, before moving down the hill to its current location on the middle campus in July 2000. At present, we are on the two lowest floors of the Wilfred and Jules Kramer Law School Building.

Brand van Zyl Law Library official opening

Looking at display of valuable books and Key to Library. From left: E.J. Roukens de Lange, Prof Beinart, Major General F. H Theron?, Prof T.W. Price

Built Environment Library

The first Architecture Library occupied two wooden huts on the Upper Campus sports fields. With the completion of the new Centlivres Building on University Avenue in 1953, it was possible to move the scattered Architectural Library material into a suitable section of the building, which the Architectural Library (now Built Environment Library) occupies today. The material included various books collections, periodicals, pamphlets, and plans.

Most historic plans and drawings were later transferred to the Special Collections Manuscripts and Archives Repository.

Casper Hendrik van Zyl

Practising attorney and Professor of law. He made his extensive library of legal texts available to the law students he taught.

Cataloguing Department

Chancellor Oppenheimer Library

In 2001, a newly built state-of-the-art library complex became the centrepiece of Upper Campus. The Linear Library transformed into a horseshoe-shaped structure embracing Sarah Baartman Hall, the centre of Upper Campus. The Jagger Building linked to its mirror-image on the north side of the Hall, the Otto Beit/Students Union Building, where the new entrance to the Main Library is now situated.

This new Library complex was renamed the Chancellor Oppenheimer Library in honour of its benefactor.

The new library complex provided additional space for improved accommodation for student services, a new food court, and a centre for post-graduate research. Inside the Main Library, there were new specialist reference services, technical and user services departments, and training and research facilities.

The Rare Books & Special Collections, the African Studies Library, and the Government Publications Departments rejoined the Main Library pocket. The stock from the Education Library was also relocated to the Main Library.

Clive Kirkwood

Constructed of the New College of Music and Music Library below Strubenholme, 1971

Construction of the Centlivres Building on University Avenue during the 1950s

The construction of the Centlivres Building on University Avenue during the 1950s

Construction of the Medical Library in Observatory

Construction of the Medical Library, observed from Anzio Road in Observatory

Construction of the new Music Library below Strubenholme, April 1972

Corporis iuris civilis editio nova, prioribus correctior, Corpus Juris Civilis 1663-64. Brand van Zyl collection

Donation of financial database by Reuters, 1997

Donation of financial database by Reuters, 1997. Left seated: Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mamphela Ramphele and former Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Stuart J Saunders.

Downstairs reading room in the Brand van Zyl Law Library, Kramer School of Law

The downstairs reading room in the newly completed Law Library attached to Kramer School of Law, March 1988

Downstairs reading room in the Brand van Zyl Law Library, Kramer School of Law

Students study in the downstairs reading room in the newly completed Law Library attached to Kramer School of Law, March 1988.

Dr Dale Peters

A former deputy director of technical services, qualified librarian and trained book and paper conservator.

Dr Mamphela Ramphele

Vice-Chancellor of UCT from 1996-2000.

Dr Stuart Saunders

Vice-Chancellor of UCT from 1981-1996.

Dr W Hiddingh

His bequest funded the building of Hiddingh Hall.

Dr. Rene Ferdinand Malan Immelman

University Librarian from 1940 - 1970. A new chapter in the history of the University Libraries was heralded in by the appointment of Dr. Rene Ferdinand Malan Immelman as University Librarian in 1940. Jagger Library was little more than a large College Library with a library collection of 110 000 volumes and ten staff members.

Over the next 30 years, Immelman became instrumental in the rapid expansion of the University Libraries into an internationally recognised Research Library with over half a million books. Many branch libraries were established during his tenure as University Librarian.

Being a well-known local historian, Immelman collected many special collections and rare books, and by approaching potential donors. A Special Collections department and African Studies Library were eventually established.

Mr. Immelman retired from the University Library in 1970, leaving behind him a great research resource of which he and the University could be very proud. He would later be awarded an honorary doctorate for his services to the University.

UCT Libraries

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