BACKGROUNDIt was named after David Don who was born in

Scotland in 1840, settling in Natal 1881. He set up a library for his collection of books,

pamphlets, newspapers, maps and manuscripts.After he died in 1906, his Africana collection was

loaned to Durban Public Library in 1909.  Later, in 1916, his family donated the entire

collection dating back to the early 16th century to the library.  These 4 000 items now form the nucleus of the

Don Africana. 

Resources and services avail.ACADEMIC BOOKSREFERENCE MATERIALHISTORIC – AFRICANA MATERIALSA HISTORY and legal publicationsINDEGENOUS Languages MATERIALON LINE DATABASESNEWSPAPER ROOMINTERNET ROOMS AND WIRELESS

CONNECTIONMAGAZINE AREA

DON AFRICANA SECTIONThe Don Africana Collection is a specialist reference collection of both rare and current

Africana material.Consists of books, pamphlets, maps, journals,

newspaper cuttings, government publications and microfilms. over 50 000 catalogued items and many journals, some of which have yet to

be recorded on the computer catalogue.Rare and valuable works such as French and

Italian editions dated 1550 and 1556 of "The History and Description of Africa" by Leo

Africanus.

BIBLE FOUND IN 1850

..continuedThe emphasis is on botany, zoology, discovery and

exploration, history and anthropology in Africa South of the Sahara.

rare and contemporary maps which chronicle the cartography of Africa

Government Publications include law reports, statutes, government gazettes, Bills, Government Department annual, Commission Reports, debates of the Senate and National Assembly (Hansard), etc.

newspapers on microfilm, while a selection of early Natal newspapers is in the original form.

A wide range of South African journals is available.

Bound newspapers from 1800’s

Government publications from the 1800s

The Reference section and reading area

LAW REPORTS

The Hillier Shakespeare Collectionapproximately 55oo books, is one of the biggest collections of Shakespeareana in the Southern Hemisphere. Holds both rare books and contemporary material by or about Shakespeare and his works.

MAGAZINE READING AREA

MICROFILMED NEWSPAPERS

Newspaper reading area and Internet rooms: “cyberzones”

Opening hrs:weekdays:10.00am -17.00pm Saturdays:08.30am -12.30pm

CONTACT DETAILS10th floor liberty towers, Samora Machel St –

(former Aliwal St).031 3224420/16/13

Email ref@durban.gov.zaOr email the librarians

jeff.nyoka@durban.gov.za or nonhlanhlna.mthembu@durban.gov.za

THANK YOU