BAD news for bookworms is that the Windhoek Public Library is closed for six months while it gets a long-overdue facelift.

The library, situated next to the National Museum, was built in 1925, and hasn't received any major renovations since then. It was closed last week Thursday to begin its first big makeover in decades.

Veno Kauaria, Director of Namibia Libraries and Archive Services, says: "The public library was literally falling apart, with water seeping through the roof, and the floors coming apart. It was a big mess."

The library has received N$700 000 from the Ministry of Education for the renovations.

Kauaria feels at least N$2 million should be spent on it, but says: "When we reopen, at least it will be a more decent place."

The facelift will include major repairs to the ceiling and floors, replacing the carpets with ceramic tiles and replacing many of the wooden shelves, which had been damaged by water leakage from the roof.

"We will have a better reference section, air-conditioning will be installed, lights will be redone as there was insufficient lighting before, new study carts will be set up upstairs in the study area, and we will have more and better seating," Kauaria said.

The front desk will also receive an overhaul, and the library will work towards phasing out the archaic manual system for checking books in and out.

A major addition to the library will be a computer room with 15 to 20 Internet-enabled computers, as well as a revamp of the children's area with two computers on which young visitors to the library can play educational games and do research.

"We also plan to initiate a fundraising drive in coming months to appeal to the public to make funding donations to replace our books, most of which are very old, with new books," says Kauaria.

The renovations are expected to be completed in August.