Local businesses unite to save Lansdowne’s Academia Library with fundraiser

• Local businesses have come together to host a golf day fundraiser on Heritage Day to support the Academia Library and Resource Centre in Lansdowne.
• The library, which struggled to remain operational during the pandemic, has been sustained by community fundraisers since 2020.
• The event highlights the importance of reading and literacy, with all proceeds going towards keeping the library accessible for research and community programmes.

Local businesses from Rondebosch, Lansdowne, Ottery and surrounding areas came together on Wednesday 7 August, to host a fundraiser to keep the Academia Library and Resource Centre in Lansdowne operational and accessible.

The businesses are sponsoring a golf day on Heritage Day (Tuesday 24 September) at the Rondebosch Golf Course as a four-ball to raise funds to secure the sustainability of the library for locals and as a research centre.

The support by local businesses to sponsor fundraisers to keep the facility open over the past two years is a testament to the importance of reading and literacy for young and old.

This is how Dr Elias Parker, chair of the Board of Trustees of Academia Library, announced the launch of the golf day at the library.

Nearly closed

“When Covid-19 hit globally, the Academia Library in Lansdowne nearly closed down due to a lack of funds to stay sustainable. Since 2020, fundraisers have been held to keep the library open for everyone to do research, attend workshops and book launches and engage youth in programmes to help them develop holistically. With the golf day, we hope to encourage all the surrounding communities to visit the library and become more involved in activities for young and old at the library. The fact that local businesses without hesitation came on board is also a testament to the importance of reading and libraries for them in the development of our children,” Parker says.

Beresford Williams, finance revenue manager at the City of Cape Town and a keynote speaker, emphasised the importance of reading.

He said it does not only broaden people’s vocabulary but also expands their imagination.

“I salute teachers and librarians for their efforts to help our youth broaden their horizons as most of them are growing up in an environment where gunshots are a daily occurrence and part of their lives.

“With the input by businesses and entrepreneurs out of our own communities, the youth can aspire to not let their circumstances determine where they end up in life. By reading they are prompted to explore and are introduced to a world outside of their daily lifestyle,” Williams says.

Parker also said that by investing in the youth, the businesses are making a difference in their communities.

“By investing in our youth, they are exposed to the world globally, whether they attend workshops, seminars or other programmes at the library and they can grow and benefit. The library is open to everyone and we invite learners, students and any learned friend to make contact with us. In the past month, the Malaysian government donated Quaran’s in 11 different languages and some of the students in our communities do their research here,” he says.