Beyachad Library – a new jacket, new energy

ROBYN SASSEN

Pictured: Daughter of Isie, Helen Maisels-Trisk at the refurbished library space.

PHOTOGRAPH: DAVID FLEMINGER

Avrom Krengel, chairman of the SA Zionist Federation, spoke of the legacy of late advocate Isie Maisels, in whose memory the library was rededicated. Speaking of the library’s move from the Zionist building in De Villiers Street on the fringe of Johannesburg’s CBD, he said: “When all communal organisations came together in Beyachad years ago, the library went under Beyachad’s auspices. It was not an optimal structure; the library suffered neglect and a lack of position.”

Celebrating library chairman Marcia Parness, Krengel thanked Beit Hatefutsoth’s Rose Norwich and Adrian Kollenberg, who helped recreate the library, and paid tribute to librarian Norma Shulman, assistant Eric Mathobo and volunteers Maish Reznik who installed and designed the computerised catalogues, and Leon Lever who gave new life to the DVD collection.

“Isie Maisels was a giant of not only the legal profession, but of South Africa in general,” Krengel said, cyting the myriad communal leadership positions Maisels held. “He led the way for SA Jews to play not only a role in the building of South Africa, but enriching the bonds of this community with Israel.”

Said Parness: “Since August 2010, all communal funding to the Isie Maisels Library and the Joe Green Audiovisual Library stopped; we became reliant on individuals’ generosity to survive.

“At the end of 2013, the SAZF agreed to take over the expenses again. It was decided the library should be a reference library only. The lending library is operational, but it’s small. There is no budget for new books.” She appealed to the public for donations of Jewish-related fiction.

“Today, the Joe Green Audiovisual Library has over 3 000 DVDs. Retired school principal Leon Lever brought us into the 20th century, taking the project on as a personal crusade. Few organisations throughout the world can boast a collection as extensive as this.”

Isie Maisels’ youngest daughter, Helen Maisels-Trisk, commented: “In 1995, a year after his death, the SAZF honoured his memory by naming the Beyachad Library for him.

“Some 19 years later, the community has refurbished the space into a splendid example of a modern reference library.”

The library, with a glass wall separating the priceless reference collection from the librarians’ desks, presents a new library model: The researching public will be aided by librarians Norma Shulman and Maxine Fine with material they require. They will not be able to browse the books.

The loan collection, housed in the Joe Green Audiovisual Collection comprises Jewish-related fiction; the public may lend from this collection at R5 per book, Shulman explained. Fine added that at this stage, there was no cost for library research.