As an avid reader who used to haunt the aisles of a library growing up, libraries have always held a special place in my heart. As a child, when I did not have control over my life, the library - and books - became a safe space for me.
I would spend hours searching for the perfect books every Friday, and once I exceeded the limit of books I could borrow for the week, I would check out more under my siblings’ names.
So, when I heard about the 81-year-old woman who had been fighting for the reopening of the Johannesburg City Library, I knew I had to sit down with her.
Back in April, Flo Bird, a tenacious, passionate, and dedicated grandmother, opened her green door to me and shared the story of her fight to reopen the library.
Flo’s story is one of endurance and belief in the power of public spaces. Now, as the Johannesburg City Library turns 90 years old, she has finally achieved her victory: the reopening of the city’s heart.
“There's a feeling of change in the air. That this time we are really going to go forward, and they won't think of closing it again,” she told me.
On August 9, the Johannesburg City Library officially reopened to the public, after five long years.
It had originally been closed for gutter maintenance but was later issued warnings for non-compliance with water and fire safety regulations.
Last year, the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation and the Joburg Crisis Alliance, led by Flo, organized a protest calling for the library’s reopening. It became a symbol of state ineffeciency and disregard by local authorities.
Eventually, this civic activism spurred the City of Johannesburg into action, and after extensive upgrades, the library reopened.
The renovated library now houses 1.5 million books, features modern heating and cooling systems, and includes improved accessibility for people with disabilities.
A total of 86.2% of the R57 million budget allocated for the renovations was used to improve this massive community resource.
“Well, it took some pushing, but we are really happy that the Johannesburg Library is now fully reopened to the public. It's such an important resource for literacy and community development. Libraries and access to information are a human right prescribed in our Constitution. We believe that libraries are a foundation and a cornerstone, of a healthy, well-read, literate, informed society,” David Fleminger, Chair of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation, told The Debrief Network.
Walking up the historic steps into the grand building of the Johannesburg City Library, I felt a deep sense of awe.
I thought about the generations who had come before me. Those who searched for hours in the African Studies Collection, the students who completed projects in the Computer Lab, and the writers who spent days researching in the Newsroom.
Then I looked ahead, to the children who finally had a space to learn and sing, to the people I spoke with who shared their excitement and spoke about the importance of public spaces. In a time when the cost-of-living crisis affects everyone, these spaces provide refuge.
In an age dominated by screens, they offer a return to the analogue, to community, to focus. And in that moment, I felt a sense of hope for a city that has long been plagued by a sense of decay.
This hope comes from the people who are still fighting for the city and its future.
“We are happy to see the result of civic action and civic mobilization. I think it's a testimony to the fact that if people come together and raise their voices in a meaningful way, you can hold the city accountable,” said Yunus Chamda, Project Coordinator at the Joburg Crisis Alliance.
The importance of protest, and of not giving up, even when everyone around you says nothing can be done, has never been clearer.
“I think we should teach our youngsters that we should not keep quiet. Make sure you protest. Don’t let anybody tell you to shut up. It’s ours by right. It belongs to the citizens of Johannesburg,” Flo reminded us.
In a city that often feels forgotten, Flo Bird, and the many others who stood with her, have reminded us that civic power lies in our hands.
Sometimes, all it takes is one voice to open a door that’s been closed for far too long.
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