The Society hosted a two-part celebration in Gauteng on 10 and 11 October 2018, in collaboration with our joint hosts, the History Departments of the University of Pretoria and the University of Johannesburg. Our guest of honour and keynote speaker at both gatherings was Professor Archie Dick, Head of the Department of Information Science at the University of Pretoria and an international expert on the history of reading and books, who reflected on the history of the Society and offered some useful suggestions for consideration for our future relevance as we enter our post-centenary period. Our chairman, Professor Howard Phillips, also addressed the two events.
Highlights of the two gatherings were selected readings from our past volumes done by post-graduate students of both universities, all done with great enthusiasm and passion, as well as the quiz which had proven successful in Cape Town – and in which members and guests convincingly demonstrated their knowledge without access to clues from the exhibition in the National Library! The two events, which attracted a combined total of 80 people, concluded with enjoyable conversation over drinks and snacks. The Society is very grateful to the History Departments of both Universities for hosting us.
