Libraries and Apartheid, with Particular Reference to the Transvaal, 1948-1992

This article describes the legal and political forces which affected library provisions to black South Africans in the apartheid era. Discrepancies between white and black service areas are detailed in terms of usage and book stock. The analysis is carried to the level of individual communities, supported by statistics and by reports from librarians. Attention is given to the impact of relevant legislation: the Group Areas Act, Separate Amenities Act, and Bantu Education Act. Although the end of formal apartheid has begun to improve the picture of library service to all segments of the population, several generations may be needed to remedy policies of the past.