Libraries of Islamabad

According to the Director of the National Library of Pakistan, there are about 400 libraries in Islamabad. I have seen about four, but the director clarified that many of these libraries are private collections. So, one many not find many public libraries in Islamabad but the literary body is still present.

The National Library is a public library but it still is not a lending library. The process to get a book seems a bit laborious, but here we go...

Visitors to the library leave their bags/books with the security guard at the door and then travel up a flight of stairs. They will find a desk on the second floor and fill out a slip of paper (i.e. name and reason for visit). Now, they can search the on-line catalog, proceed to one of several reading rooms, and either enjoy the periodical and few immediately available books or request their selected book from a staff member - who gets the book via a small elevator. Your paper slip is your library card but no book leaves the library.

If you walk above the second floor, you will find the stacks of books locked behind glass doors, staff offices, and a camouflaged surprise on the roof (or at least I did when I visited for the first time last spring).

The National Library contains books largely from the Humanities and Social Sciences. Another library of the humanities I happened to find was the Heritage Library by the Lok Virsa Museum which is small but you can browse the stacks, if you can find the door. Ask around at the museum for help.

Books are available in Islamabad. However, if you like to take your books home then visit a book store. The Saeed Book Bank in the F-7 sector market has the widest variety of books. There are many other stores including a store the Kohsar market in the F-6 sector with even recent international periodicals, for a price. Second-hand books are easy to find everywhere.

Personally, I will stick with the private lending library at my school. I look forward to a public lending library which will be more than a source of the literary but rather an open gathering point of members of this community, which I have not yet found in Islamabad. Well, a gathering point outside of the mosques and markets.