Want some peace and quiet to complete your research assignments and work on your thesis? Looking to explore and read new books? There are plenty of libraries in Karachi that will quench your thirst of knowledge and provide you with the latest book collection. Some of these libraries do not require any fees and you can visit any time of the day. But some libraries have annual membership fees. In this blog, we will explore some of the best libraries in Karachi and what is unique about each one of them.
Most Popular Libraries in Karachi
There are several noteworthy libraries in Karachi that are quite old and have been serving the community for a long time. Some are community libraries, while others are well-stocked libraries providing a good reading environment to avid readers and researchers. Take a look at these popular libraries in the metropolis.
- Street Library
- Allama Iqbal Library
- Hasrat Mohani Library
- Taimuria Library
- British Council Library
- Liaquat Memorial Library
- Ghalib Library
- Defence Central Library
- Molana Mohammad Ali Johar Library
We will now discuss these libraries along with their address, membership fees and timings.
Street Library
A first-of-its-kind street library has opened at the Commissioner’s Corner at Metropole near Quaid-e-Azam’s House. Around more than 600 books belonging to different subjects are kept in the library. There are comfortable chairs placed on the pavement, where book lovers can sit and read after selecting the book they love from the street library.
The purpose behind this initiative is to foster a love for reading among the youth. Portraits of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal decorate the barren walls, instilling a patriotic spirit among the visitors. Wooden bookshelves contain books on various subjects. It is a walk-in library and anybody can visit it any time of the day. There is a security guard present at the site who looks after the books. You can borrow any book you like but you have to replace it with another book of your own.
Address: 242 Fatima Jinnah Rd, Civil Lines, Karachi
Timings: Open 24 hours
Membership Fees: Free
Allama Iqbal Library
Located in Jamshed Quarters, Allama Iqbal Library is a government-funded public library in Karachi that offers a peaceful environment for readers and researchers. College students, scholars and researchers find this place a haven of good books, where they can read and study in a tranquil environment. That is why you will find lots of students busy studying in the library. The only drawback here is that Allama Iqbal Library closes early at 4 PM.
Address: Jamshed Quarters Amil Colony, Karachi
Timings: 9 AM to 4 PM
Membership Fees: Free
Hasrat Mohani Memorial Hall and Library
Hasrat Mohani was a maverick and played an important role in the Pakistan Movement. He was an avid reader, freedom fighter and a renowned Urdu poet. Hasrat Mohani was an avid reader and although he wasn’t rich, whatever money he had he used to buy books from it. He had collected many books and created a library at home.
When he was arrested because of his political beliefs during the freedom movement, he had no money to bail himself out. The rare and unique collection of books from his library was put on a cart and shoved in the street to be sold. The entire collection was sold in a mere PKR 60. When Hasrat Mohani returned home, he was deeply saddened at the loss of his precious books. Several years later, his family built a public library in his memory, where anyone can come and read to their heart’s content.
The library also has a memorial hall on the upper floor, which is used to hold memorial anniversary meetings of the Late Maulana. Around 10,000 books on different academic subjects are available in the library.
Address: Hasrat Mohani Memorial Library & Hall Trust, ST-9/C Block A, North Nazimabad, Karachi
Timings: 5PM to 9PM
Membership Fees: Free
Taimuria Library
Taimuria was the original name coined for North Nazimabad town after renowned conqueror Amir Timur. Later, the name North Nazimabad was chosen to honour Pakistan’s Prime Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin. Taimuria Library is perhaps the only remnant of the old name of North Nazimabad.
Located at the corner of Sher Shah Suri Road and Shahrah-e-Jahangir, the library is quite popular among students and researchers. There is a separate section of old newspapers stocked in the library, dating back to the 80s. Kunwar Mukhtar Ahmed Law Section specifically holds a unique collection of law books, ideal for students and researchers. A section dedicated for women is present on the first floor.
Address: Shahrah-e-Sher Shah Suri, Block L, North Nazimabad, Karachi
Timings: 9AM to 9PM (closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Membership Fees: Free
British Council Library
British Council Library is situated on the road leading from Park Towers towards Do Talwar in Clifton. Situated opposite to Park Lane Hospital, the British Council Library is right next to the British High Commission and therefore, the place is heavily guarded by police contingents and private security guards.
Only members of the library can enter the premises. If you are planning to get a membership at British Council Library, then you have to request for a virtual tour by emailing at librarykhi@britishcouncil.org.pk. After going through a security check, you can enter the building. Once inside the premises, you wouldn’t want to go back. There are books of all sorts and a modern, chic environment encourages you to just sit and read all day. There are Ipads and computers as well to facilitate researchers and students. A hi-tech library, it has a digital library that offers numerous books and research papers online.
There are also storytelling and other literary events held at this library that members can attend for free. There are three kinds of memberships i.e. individual, family or digital. At the moment, the annual subscription fees is PKR 6,000 for individuals, PKR 15,000 for family and PKR 3,500 for digital membership.
Address: British Deputy High Commission, Shahrah-e-Iran, Block 5, Clifton, Karachi
Timings: 9AM to 8PM
Membership Fees: PKR 6,000 for individual, PKR 15,000 for family and PKR 3,500 for digital membership
Liaquat Memorial Library
A government funded public library, it was founded in the year 1950. It offers a huge reservoir of books and provides an ideal environment for book-lovers, researchers and students. There is an open area and garden where you can take a break and stroll around in the park.
Address: Stadium Road, Dawood CHS, Karachi
Timings: 9AM to 9PM
Membership Fees: Free
Ghalib Library
Named after the renowned Urdu poet, Mirza Ghalib, Ghalib Library was founded by famous Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Mirza Zafar-ul-Hasan, who was a great scholar. The year when the world celebrated Ghalib’s centennial in 1968, Idara-e-Yadgar-e-Ghalib was founded. Later, it became a library.
Mirza Zafar-ul-Hasan, who was the elected secretary, invited many scholars, poets, writers and intellectuals from across the country and even abroad to give lectures at the library. Ghalib Library soon gained popularity in the literary circles. The likes of Ismat Chughtai, Josh Malihabadi and many other renowned authors and poets have given lectures here.
To this day, the library is a haven for Urdu lovers of poetry and literature. There are about 30,000 books and a large number of journals. You will also find a rare collection of letters of historical importance including that of Josh Malihabadi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. There are two floors of the library and there is one big hall on each floor. A spiral staircase outside the building connects the two floors. You will find many students and researchers working on their assignments on the ground floor.
Address: Block 2 Nazimabad, Karachi
Timings: 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Membership Fees: Free
Defence Central Library
Not only meant for the residents, anybody can access the library. It offers a good atmosphere for studies. Students in need of some peace and quiet visit the library. It is not completely free and there is a reasonable membership fee that you must pay for. It is closed on Fridays and open even on Sundays.
Address: Sunset Boulevard Road, Phase 2 Ext, Defence Housing Authority, Karachi
Timings: 9AM to 10PM
Membership Fees: PKR 1000 monthly
Molana Mohammad Ali Johar Library
It is a small library for the residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal. You will find it jam-packed during the exam season, as students flock the library to study. Although small, the library is well-stocked with numerous books and AC rooms to facilitate the readers and students. There is a separate section containing old newspapers. A separate section for women is also present in the library. It is off on Sundays.
Address: Block 17 Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi
Timings: 9AM to 7PM
Membership Fees: Free
This concludes our list of the top libraries in Karachi. There are many universities and educational institutions in Karachi with well-stocked libraries and research units. You must also check out these best public libraries in Islamabad, if you are a resident of the capital city.
Stay tuned to Zameen Blog for more informative posts. Which library do you frequently visit? Let us know at blog@zameen.com and we would love to hear from our readers!
