The building housing the Kimberley Africana Library was opened on 23 July 1887 as the Kimberley Public Library, the institution which initiated the collection of rare books and Africana now housed in the Africana Library.he highlights of the collection are the books, pamphlets in indigenous languages dating from 1826 as well as records by early European travellers to the region and material dealing with the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).