Hours of opening

The Library is open on weekends only at the following times: -

• Saturday evening - 30 minutes before the 6pm Mass
• Sunday morning - 30 minutes after the 7.30am Mass
• Sunday morning - 30 minutes after the 9.00am Mass
• Sunday evening - 30 minutes before the 6pm Mass

About the Library

The Library consists of approximately 2600 books, of which more than half are recent additions to the original collection (prior to 2001). Our Library stocks book material that is predominantly Roman Catholic in its subject choice.

Topics covered include

• THE BIBLE - Old & New Testament, Gospels, Apostles, Commentaries on the various Books of the Bible etc.
• ROMAN CATHOLIC FAITH - Dogma & Doctrine of the Church, Jesus, God, Trinity, Science & Religion, Apologetics etc.
• DEVOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL READING - Prayer & Meditation, Personal Experiences
• LITURGY & THE MASS - the Sacraments & Social Theology
• CHURCH HISTORY BIOGRAPHIES & AUTOBIOGRAPHIES e.g. John Henry Newman, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Oscar Romero, Desmond Tutu etc.
• BIOGRAPHIES - Lives of the Saints & the Popes e.g. Teresa of Calcutta, Therese of Lisieux, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, St. Augustine, etc BIOGRAPHY - Mary, Mother of Our Lord (include the Rosary & Apparitions)
• CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS - Catholicism (traditions & customs), Anglicans, Baptists, Presbyterians etc.
• NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS- Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Agnosticism, Atheism

Library Committee

The library is managed by a Committee currently consisting of 6 members & managed by a Library Co-ordinator. The list of current Committee members & their contact details is available both in the library as well as on the library notice board in the church foyer.

Location

The Library is situated in a dedicated area at the end of the passage beyond the Sacristy.

Library Users

The library is open to registered parishioners of St. Michael's Catholic Church, Rondebosch only. Unfortunately it is not open to parishioners from other Catholic churches within the diocese, nor to the general public.

Volunteers

The Library is manned by a large group of Volunteers who give generously of their time to provide a wonderful service to our parishioners. There is a roster in the library as well on the library notice board in the church foyer listing days / times of duties. The roster is organised on a 3 monthly cycle. The Duty Roster is sent out regularly via email / post. Volunteers are requested to check the list carefully & take note as to when they are on duty. It is imperative to ask another volunteer to swop days if unable to do their duty, thus ensuring the library is always manned when open. Volunteers are asked to be mindful of this request in order that we can provide a smooth service to our parishioners at all times.

Please contact our Library Committee representative, Winnie Thomson, with any queries / problems in this regard.

How the Library is organized

The Library Committee is responsible for the selection, purchase & processing of all library reading material. Books are colour coded for your convenience & are all carefully covered in plastic for protection & hygiene. An expanded version of the Dewey decimal classification system's 200 category (Religion) is used. Manual indexes are available in the Library for consultation. These 4 red A4 files (Author, Title, Classification & Accessions indexes) are regularly updated, at least 2-3 times a year. An online catalogue is currently in the process of being developed & should be available for use in the near future.

The library bookshelves have recently been expanded to create more space for an ongoing growing collection of spiritual reading for the parishioners of St. Michaels. Unfortunately the location of the Library does allow for browsing, research or reference work at present.

For any queries / requests, please use the form provided in the library / on the notice board in the church porch. Otherwise, kindly contact the Library Co-ordinator, Gail Bergoff, or any of the other Library Committee members.