Mary Gunn Library

About us

The Mary Gunn Library dates back to 1916 and is housed in the National Herbarium in Pretoria.

Miss Mary Gunn, then a clerk in the Division of Botany, Department of Agriculture, was given the enormous task of building up a library. She did this through gifts, purchases and exchanges. The exchange programme is still one of the Library's most valuable ways of acquiring material.

This Library is the most comprehensive botanical library of its kind in Africa and serves as one of the important botanical and biodiversity resources in Africa. It houses a magnificent Africana and Rare Antiquarian Book Collection such as the 18 broadsheet edition of Redouté's Les Liliacees (1807-1816) and the Xylotech Book Collection by Clementz H. Wehdemann (early 1800s).

Currently the Library holds 11 768 books, 3 000 pamphlets and 1 009 journal titles, of which 219 are current titles. Subjects covered include taxonomy, biodiversity, climate change, global warming, morphology, plant anatomy, plant geography, ethnobotany, conservation ecology, history of botany, palaeobotany and plant exploration.

The online catalogue contains details of material housed in the seven satellite libraries. Search the Mary Gunn Library Catalogue.

Library hours

Mondays to Fridays from 08h30 – 13h00 and 13h45 – 16h30.

Members of the public, learners and students are welcome to use the Library for research purposes. Photocopying facilities are available. Please make an appointment if you wish to visit the Library.

Contact us at:

Tel: +27 12 843 5040/42Fax: +27 12 804 8740Email: The Librarian