Regarding Community libraries, Ms J Schimper indicated that the Provincial Department was funding 170 library service points and it consisted of 139 public libraries, 12 school community libraries, 15 depot libraries at institutions such as prisons, hospitals and places of safety, and 4 special libraries for specialized user groups at nursing colleges and the provincial government. They had a collection of library materials of 2, 3 million items, approximately 400 000 registered library users and about 400 000 non- registered library users. Ms Schimper further indicated that they had a budget allocation of R96 million, of which R47 million had already been spent, and that they had a deficit of R184 million.