Library Services of the North-West University

The Ferdinand Postma Library houses a number of special collections. The Department of Loan Services can be contacted at +28 (0)18 299 2783 for further information in this regard.

• Carney Africana collection
• Rare books
• Hertzog collection
• The Postma collection
• "Africana" theses and dissertations
• Collection of old and recent Afrikaans literature, literary criticism and linguistics
• Children's and juvenile book collection
• Ossewa-Brandwag archive and museum

Carney Africana collection

The main part of this collection belonged to Mr ER Carney and was donated to the library in 1949 by this daughter, Ms CG Carney.

Rare books

This collection consists of original editions of old books as well as facsimile editions of well known documents like the Gutenberg Bible.

Hertzog collection

The collection consists largely of XVII - XIX century works on Roman Dutch law. It was donated to the library in 1955 by Dr Albert Hertzog.

The Postma collection

The library of Prof Ferdinand Postma, after whom the library was named, is preserved as a unit. Prof Postma served as principal of the then Potchefstroom University College for Christian Higher Education from 1921 until 1950, shortly before independence.

Archive dissertations and theses

One copy of every thesis and dissertation completed at the NWU: Potchefstroom Campus is stored in a separate collection and is available for use in the library only under highly exceptional circumstances.

Collection of old and recent Afrikaans literature, literary criticism, and linguistics

This is a new collection aimed at the preservation of mainly Afrikaans literary works in an endeavour to build as complete a collection as possible.

Children's and juvenile book collection

The collection has been made accessible for use by all students, but especially by those taking courses in creative writing and children's literature.

Ossewa-Brandwag archive and museum

This collection consists of archival material and museum objects relating to the Ossewa-Brandwag, a cultural organisation, which developed into a resistance movement against the war effort during the period 1039-1945. Upon the dissolution of the OB in 1954 the Grand Council decided to donate the archives and records to the Ferdinand Postma Library for storage and use, but they were placed under embargo for 10 years so that convenient arrangement could only take place during the sixties. Gaps were then discovered, leading to a renewed collecting campaign. The material is separated into the following categories:

Archival material

• Documents
• Tape recordings, of which a large number have been transcribed
• Indexed photographs
   

Museum material