Library

Our library has a valuable collection of books, pamphlets, journals, videos, abstracts and government publications. It specializes mainly in anthropology, local and missionary history, and mammalogy. The collection is computerized on an Inmagic DB Text database.

The collection includes the Kitton Collection of rare Africana books, which the Archdeacon Henry Kitton bequeathed to the people of King William’s Town in 1891. The latter covers a wide variety of subjects, such as, religion, history, botany, zoology, African languages and biographies especially of Cecil John Rhodes. The oldest book in the collection is Thomas Fuller’s The Holy State published in 1642.

Our library is not a lending library. Material is not loaned out, although it can be accessed via interlibrary loan. Staff members, scholars and researchers from other institutions, the latter by appointment only, utilize the library for research purposes. It is open on weekdays during working hours (9H00-16H00) and closed on weekends. Control of the use of the collection is strict and no books are allowed to leave the Kitton Reading Room, a rule that also applies to staff members.