Our History
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1914
Where it all began.
JL van Schaik Bookshops opened.
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1915
JL van Schaik starts publishing books.
Beginsels van de Karakterkunde by Dr. SO Los was the first book published by JL van Schaik.
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1917
First Afrikaans children’s book.
Die kaskenades van Klein Duimpie by Tannie van die Brandwag (pseudonym for HDM van Heerden)
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1920
Important books by J van Bruggen published.
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1921
Tweetalige Woordeboek by Steyn published.
Beginning of numerous dictionaries published by JL van Schaik.
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1922
Eesrte Afrikaanse Skoolatlas
Published and used in schools for more than 40 years.
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1923
In the 1920s and early 1930s many authors were published including CM van den Heever, AG Visser, Mikro, Uys Krige and many more.
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1927
Jong lewe vol strewe.
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1932
Die Meisies van Maasdorp series by Stella Blakemore is published.
Followed by Keurboslaan – written by Stella Blakemore under the pseudonym Theunis Krogh.
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1933
Iconic books by Eugène Marais are published.
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1934
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1936
Librigebou was built.
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1938
Splits into Van Schaik Bookshop (Pty) Ltd and JL van Schaik (Pty) Ltd (publishing imprint).
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1949
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1959
Hatfield and Sunnyside bookshops open.
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1960's
Pioneering work is started on the development of academic textbooks for the South African market. This sees the beginning of what is today, one of the leading academic backlists in the country.
Textbooks are published in a wide range of disciplines, and authors include JJN Cloete, Ponelis, Eksteen and many more.
Mr JL van Schaik dies.
Sons Jan and Hans van Schaik take over the running of the business.
Hans takes over the bookshops and Jan runs the publishing division. -
1968
JL van Schaik is taken over by NASPERS and shifts the focus if its core business to the academic sector.
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1986
JL van Schaik is taken over by NASPERS and shifts the focus of its core business to the academic sector.
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Late 1980s
Most prolific African language writer – ET Maumela
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1989
Profiting from effective Industrial Relations was first published in 1889 and by 2012 was in its 7th edition – now known as South African Employment Relations.
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1995
First edition of Economics for South African Students by Philip Mohr published.
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1996
Obstetrics in Southern Africa was first published in 1996 and our medical list has expanded considerably over the years.
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2000
Mr Helgaard Raubenheimer, the then CEO of Nasboek, transferred the Van Schaik Publishers Archives to the UNISA Library in June 2000. The Publishers Archives consist of a copy of each impression of every title published since the inception of JL van Schaik Publishers in 1914. At the time this constituted a collection of 6 500 books.
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2007
Van Schaik Bookstore splits from Van Schaik Publishers.
Van Schaik Bookstore is sold and after 93 years, ownership of the bookstore and the publishing company reside in different media companies.
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2011
Van Schaik Publishers launches its first digital ebook First Steps in Research.
197 ebooks now live on various platforms.
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2015
Van Schaik Publishers celebrates its centenary – 100 years in the South African market.