The museum library
Cdr Leon Steyn, Curator SA Naval Museum

Libraries within the South African National Defence Force are mostly attached to training institutions and therefore serve an important educational purpose in support of learning. There are however other unique types of libraries, those attached to museums. Such libraries house a wide range of materials mostly related to the museum’s mission.

The South African Naval Museum in Simon’s Town continues to expand its unique reference library. Its collection has grown in recent years, mainly through courteous book donations made by the public. The library also house a complete set of Union Defence Force, SADF and SANDF service magazines, from the early Commando and Paratus magazines to the latter Salut and more recent SA Soldier. But the most important part of its collection is most certainly the Navy News magazine. The editorial office of the official magazine of the South Africa Navy shares a building with the museum itself and work hand in hand in many ways.

Navy News was first established in 1967 and existed for a few years before it was discontinued. It was however revitalized in 1982 and has been published ever since. Today the magazine continues as the only service magazine with a regular print run of six editions per year. In line with recent trends, work is underway to convert the magazine to an electronic “on-line” format.

Irrespective of its format, the magazine’s content is of immense value to historical researchers. In some way Navy News can be regarded as “the almanac or visual diary of the navy” from whence more in-depth research can be initiated. The historian’s adage of ‘if it is not written it did not happen’ holds true and it is for this reason that the Naval Museum ensures that it collects and keep every volume and edition ever published.

The Naval Museum recently embarked on a project to have these magazine bound. This would serve the dual purpose to provide an easy point of reference to researchers visiting the library while also ensuring the preservation of the magazines for future generations. The binding process involved the removal of all staples and the stitch-binding of each volume, which typically comprises six editions. This is then bound into one book with durable leather hard cover. Modart, a company in Epping Cape Town, specializing in the binding of books completed the work to specification.

The Naval Museum can be contacted at 021 787 4686/4635 and its library at 021 787 4708. Requests to conduct research at the museum can be directed to sanavymuseum@gmail.com
Subscription to the Navy News magazine can be requested via editor@navynews.co.za or 021 787 4809/4618