Rhodes Park Library

Running a library in Johannesburg means managing collections across multiple formats—physical books, digital resources, and increasingly, audiobooks and online databases. Rhodes Park Library handles the practical side of lending: cataloguing systems that track thousands of items, renewals and returns protocols, and membership verification. Load shedding affects branch hours and IT systems, so libraries have had to invest in backup power to keep doors open during Stage 6 blackouts. The work also involves managing physical spaces—maintaining temperature and humidity for book preservation, keeping computers operational for public internet access, and coordinating with municipal maintenance for building upkeep. Behind the scenes, librarians are trained in research assistance and reference work, skills that take years to develop properly.