Flinders University Library expresses deep sorrow for the losses suffered at the University of Cape Town Library (South Africa) following the Table Mountain fire. According to the update from the UCT Vice Chancellor on 21 April, the fire has destroyed a recently restored building at the Rondebosch Campus, university archival material and special collections. A week on from the fire, librarians and volunteers are salvaging material from the risk of water damage and assessing the full extent of the loss.

We have received enquiries from both library and academic colleagues who wish to offer their support along with messages of commiseration. The UCT Library created a Jagger Library Support page for this purpose, as well as an update from the Vice Chancellor where there is a link to the UCT’s Ways to Give.

Reports from UCT and Jagger Library suggest it is still very early days of clean-up and assessment of damages. While the Library continues to assess the damage, we will wait to hear what help will be most useful.

For further information see Jagger Library recovery updates blog, or follow #JaggerLibrarySalvage and #UCTWillRiseAgain on social media