Opportunity in Loss: Reimagining the Jagger Library five years after the fire

On 17 April 2026, the University of Cape Town (UCT) commemorated the fifth anniversary of the devastating Jagger Library Fire, which destroyed the historic Reading Room and caused extensive damage to archival collections following flooding from firefighting efforts. The fire, which broke out on 18 April 2021, impacted one of the university’s oldest and most significant knowledge spaces, widely used by students, alumni and international researchers. In response, UCT has launched a commemorative exhibition programme titled Opportunity in Loss, offering the public insight into the scale of the damage, the recovery process, and the future of the library.

The exhibition, open on weekdays from 09:00 to 13:00 and runs until 15 May 2026, with guided tours. It brings together salvaged materials, staff-curated displays, and contributions from architectural students imagining the future of the Jagger Library.

UCT Libraries Executive Director, Ujala Satgoor says the past five years have prompted critical questions around how knowledge is preserved, balancing physical and digital collections, and ensuring archives reflect diverse voices, including the inclusion of the ‘black archive’.

The university is currently finalising a technical briefing document to appoint an architect for the broader UCT Libraries master plan, with the rebuilding of the Jagger Library as a priority project expected to move forward later this year.

#UCT #Vision2030 #JaggerLibrary #JaggerLibraryFire #UCTLibraries #OpportunityInLoss #LibraryFire