On Tuesday, 30 November 2021 a ribbon-cutting ceremony quietly took place of the first Book Nook at the Merensky 2 Library auditorium on the main University of Pretoria (UP) campus. This was followed by a series of photographs taken of various gleeful, some ecstatic, UP staff members. These included, among others Professor Vasu Reddy, the Dean of Humanities, Professor Molly Brown, the Head of Department of English, and Ms Lindiwe Soyizwapi, the Library Director.

The event being celebrated was the soft launch of the Department of Library Services’ (DLS) first Book Nook: a dedicated space within the library for leisure reading and related activities to highlight the pleasure and reward obtained from reading.

While the number of invitees was kept to a minimum – under 14 staff members were in attendance, to comply with health regulations – all who were there could testify that, as mentioned by Professor Brown, it was intensely gratifying at this time to come together and celebrate the achievement of such a positive goal.

A programme consisting of a number of short speeches in the library auditorium had preceded the ribbon-cutting.

The programme director, Ms Viveka Pillai, Manager of the Humanities Faculty Library highlighted the impact that library spaces can have on student success. She then introduced the Library Director Ms Soyizwapi who welcomed attendees to the happy event. The director proceeded to remind her audience that reading is an activity to be enjoyed throughout one’s lifetime and that it is hoped that students who have not yet acquired this wonderful habit, will be enabled by the presence of the Book Nook to do so. Ms Soyizwapi also indicated that the DLS hopes to create similar reading spaces in each of its branch libraries over time.

Professor Brown said that she could remember exactly how many years ago she had received her first library card; that books and reading had changed her life.

She was in an excellent position, together with her co-initiator Ms Heather Thuynsma from the Humanities Faculty, to explain how the Book Nook had come about. Having witnessed the popularity of the Mind-Altering Books event in September 2019, Prof Brown said, and the number of favourite titles students had submitted during that month, it became clear that the time for a dedicated reading area in the library had arrived. Prof Brown acknowledged past library and faculty projects focusing on writers and reading that had contributed to the interest in leisure reading.

In his address, Professor Vasu Reddy remembered witnessing a culture of reading in Japan, where readers were everywhere – even reading while walking. He referred to the magic of reading and hoped that the Book Nook would help engender in our students a love for reading.

When it came to thank those who contributed to establishing the Book Nook, librarian Ms Adrienne Warricker had a long list of names from among others the Humanities Faculty, Future Africa, DLS and UP Facilities, and Exclusive Books who donated 70 titles.

Sharing the news of our newly minted Book Nook was Elsabé Olivier from DLS Marketing who posted on social media (see UP Library Services on Facebook) and Nyamutsamba Ivianashe (Ivai) from TUKS FM, who was happy to record interviews with some of the speakers and participants. Interviews will hopefully be aired soon on The Writing Pad, a weekly insert on TUKS FM.

Although physical visits to the library might be limited and events hosted in the Book Nooks will not be possible in the foreseeable future, there are already plans to launch a virtual reading circle, and the drivers of the Book Nook invite interested parties to write to [email protected] with ideas, requests, or to indicate their interest.