The iconic Johannesburg City Library marks nine decades and a new chapter!
Johannesburg, South Africa (07 August 2025) – This week, Johannesburg City Library has more than one reason to hand out party hats. The grand old dame of Joburg’s literary scene celebrated its 90th birthday yesterday, just days ahead of the grand reopening.
The city’s reading nook has been through its fair share since its opening in 1935. Recently, the historic building stood (mostly) quiet for an extended period of 5 years as it saw through renovations and pandemic-related closure. This week it’s roaring back to life in its nineties.
“August 6th, marks 90 incredible years since the doors for the current building first opened in 1935.” Joburg Libraries shared.
“As we celebrate 90 years, we look forward to an even brighter future…With ongoing enhancements and a commitment to innovation, we’re excited to continue serving as a vital hub for learning, culture, and community…”
The city celebrated the milestone with golden balloons in tow.
The famous library will host its official reopening ceremony on Saturday, 9 August 2025, which also happens to be National Women’s Day. And there will be cake!
“This 90-year celebration is not just about bricks and mortar,” said Executive Mayor Cllr Dada Morero and MMC for Community Development Cllr Tebogo Nkokou. “It’s about the power of books to expand our minds and the freedom to learn. With materials dating back more than a century, the library is a living archive of Joburg’s intellectual and cultural evolution.”
There’s a rich history behind the iconic library – one worth getting to know.
Inside its walls are real treasures, including eight full collections for bookworms, rare Africana materials, an art studio, and even a large-scale model of the RMS Balmoral Castle (the ship that brought some of its earliest books to local shores in 1910).
The building replaced a string of earlier libraries back in 1893 and in 1974, it became one of SA’s first public libraries to open its reading rooms to all races – an important moment in the city’s history.
The library welcomes visitors back from Monday, 11 August 2025.
Many keen library-goers are excited about its reopening, while others had appealed to the JCL to reconsider opening its doors on Saturdays, making it even more accessible for city-slickers who would like to pop in for a visit outside of working hours. Imagine that!
Sources: Linked above.
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