April 18, 2025, marks the 4th anniversary of the Jagger Library fire, and the past year has witnessed the relocation of Special Collections to a new premises and ongoing renewal in the form of steady rebuilding of services, collections and spaces.

The most significant milestone was the move from Birkdale 3 to Deneb House, a five-year leased facility in Observatory. The relocation, executed over nine days in June 2024, involved the transfer of over 7,000 crates of Manuscripts and Archives, 100+ map cabinets with salvaged architecture, maps and posters, fragile conservation equipment, and the entirety of the African Studies Library. Staff worked tirelessly to manage the transition and ensure safe passage of materials, all of which had previously survived the Jagger fire.

By October 2024, network and furniture installations allowed for gradual occupation, although challenges with temperature and humidity control persist. Ongoing environmental monitoring has been implemented, and a long-term layout plan is in motion, including dedicated space for a reading room to support research support services. Over the past year, dozens of researchers have been able to arrange access to archives by appointment. 

Within Deneb House, the Conservation Unit was set up and optimised. Work in 2025 has focused on the recovery of oversized materials like architectural drawings and maps—some still bearing the marks of the fire. These are checked, cleaned, and rehoused in new cabinets for preservation. The Charles Mansergh Collection was the first to be processed in this ongoing major project. 

Recovery work across Special Collections continued despite the relocation disruptions. Staff completed the rehousing of key archival holdings, including the Black Sash Papers, Monica Wilson Papers, and the Ken Andrew Papers. Re-boxing of all archival materials salvaged from Jagger continues, with hundreds of boxes of research materials processed and ready for reshelving, available on request including the Morris Papers, Currey Papers and John and Charles Bell Heritage Trust Collection.

A new influx of historically significant material arrived in 2024, including the Denis Goldberg Prison Papers, complementing recent donations from the families of Harold and Annmarie Wolpe and Jack Kantor. Reconciliation efforts for the Rare Books collection reached three-quarters completion, aided by contract staff.

Reference services, though constrained by space and logistics, have continued in hybrid form. Items are retrieved from multiple off-site locations, and appointments are carefully managed, as owing to space constraints only one or two researchers can visit on site at a time. Demand remains high, particularly from international researchers, with notable interest in collections like Black Sash—currently in the spotlight ahead of the organisation’s 70th anniversary.

This past year has also seen the department engage more deeply with digital innovation, training, and institutional collaboration. Special Collections staff presented at academic forums, contributed to digital showcase updates, and hosted interns from the University of Pretoria and the Centre for Film and Media Studies at UCT.

As we mark the fourth anniversary of the Jagger Library fire, we acknowledge the progress made as well as the work that still lies ahead. The recovery is an ongoing effort driven by commitment and collaboration.