After a lengthy consultation process that began in 2005, Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Saleem Badat, who was accompanied by MD and Contracting Manager, Mr Neels Heunis, Ms Gwenda Thomas, Director of Library Service, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and Student Affairs, Dr Peter Clayton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Development, Mr Ross Marriner, Registrar Finance and Operations, was happy to be the first person to cross the threshold of the state-of-art Library on Friday 29 January.
It was a proud moment
Commenting about the new Library, Badat said, “It was a proud moment and an exhilarating experience to be able to finally enter our new library. It is spectacular and will be even more so when the current library is extensively refurbished. The returning students are bound to be in awe. The new library exemplifies what can be achieved by the combination of vision, creativity, purpose, planning and hard work.”
According to Badat, the new state-of-the-art and technology library supports the university’s “quest to remain one of Africa’s outstanding universities, committed to the production of knowledge and graduates that are knowledgeable, critical, competent, ethical and compassionate”.
Knowledge is power
He also said the library is a fantastic new learning environment and space for students to access various kinds of information. “There are further obvious benefits for our academics, and the new Research Commons will be a big boost to push forward the frontiers of science and knowledge,” he added. "Overall, the new library and its surrounds have the potential to become an exciting and lively heart of the university.”
An R85 million investment
The new library, which took 18 months to be completed, possesses every facility essential for cutting-edge academic and research endeavours.” This R85 million investment is the biggest single project in the history of Rhodes University and Grahamstown. To date we have raised almost R70 million. I have asked the Registrar to pass a hat around - a very large hat I may add. I am confident that with your generosity we will raise the remaining R15 million by the end of this evening,” said Badat at the orientation week opening ceremony on Monday.
The current or old library will be extensively refurbished over the next six months, concluded Gwenda Thomas, Director of Library Service.
Related article http://www.grocotts.co.za/content/new-look-rhodes-library-heralds-new-era-29-01-2010