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PNA donates R50,000 to UCT as the Jagger Library recovery process continues

PNA & UCT Jagger Library

Cape Town, 9 June 2021: One month on from the fire disaster that ripped through the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) campus, the painstaking recovery phase of its Jagger Reading Room continues, and according to restoration experts is likely to take 3-4 years to complete. Ujala Satgoor, executive director of the University of Cape Town’s Libraries accepted an R50,000 donation from PNA Group General Manager, Herman Botha on Tuesday 8 June 2021 towards this mammoth salvage operation. 

While there was nothing salvageable in the main library, the situation was different in the basement beneath the reading room, where the special collections were held. These important documents had been damaged from water used to extinguish the fire. Expert restorers as well as the 2000 volunteers managed to put thousands of wet items into cold storage. Freeze-drying wet items is the first line of defense in an archive’s fire salvage plan.  The rescued items are currently stored in controlled sub-zero conditions across locations in Cape Town and have to be closely monitored for the onset of mould.  Mould deteriorates the material it is on. Fungal attack digests paper causing it to become soft and pulpy. It can also obliterate text and images and cause materials to stick together.  

The university is now considering the purchase of its own Freeze Dryer Unit as part of its conservation plan, and to minimise further loss. 

Ujala Satgoor, explains, “Generous donations like this one from PNA will be used for the conservation processes underway. We are looking at purchasing our own Freeze Dryer Unit. Cold storage is one of the most effective ways that we can further mitigate any damage to the rescued materials, but this comes at a cost of R1,5 million for a basic unit.” 

“The Jagger Library is not just a part of Cape Town, but the entire country. The library was the heart of UCT and contained the most impressive collections of books, maps, newspapers, and film from our country and continent. The oldest book in the library was by the Roman historian of the first century, Valerius Maximus, published in Germany in 1471! While some of these historic items will sadly be irreplaceable, it was obvious that PNA contributed financially to the university’s rehabilitation and preservation efforts.”  says Herman Botha, PNA Group General Manager. 

To also make a financial donation to UCT’s Jagger Library, you can contact the Development and Alumni Department at [email protected].  

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