IN THIS POST:
– National Library of Pakistan
– Islamabad Public Library
– Quaid Public Library
– Islamabad Community Library
Want some peace and quiet to study? Looking for research papers and books to help you prepare for your exams or your thesis? Well, here are some of the best libraries in Islamabad to help you do all that.
Top Libraries in Islamabad
There are several libraries in Islamabad. Sadly, many of these are nothing more than community libraries where people from the society can gather to share their common reading interests or where students can find some quiet time to study. Ultimately, some of the libraries worth mentioning include:
- National Library of Pakistan
- Islamabad Public Library
- Quaid Public Library
- Community Libraries
Let’s discuss each of these libraries in Islamabad in detail below:
National Library of Pakistan
Address: Shahrah-e-Jamhuriat or Constitution Avenue, Sector G-5
Timings: Monday to Friday – 9 am to 6 pm (Open to the public), Saturday and Sunday – 9 am to 5 pm (Open for members only)
Home to a compilation of the literary heritage of Pakistan, the National Library of Pakistan (NLP) is one of the best resource centres and libraries in the country. While a plan to establish a national library was in place by 1951, shortly after independence, the construction of NLP did not begin until the early 1980s. It was eventually inaugurated in 1993.
Spanning over four floors, the building is centrally air-conditioned and heated. The basement floor contains a Delivery of Books and Newspapers Branch and a Telephone Exchange. The ground floor is the main entrance to the library and is home to the Reception area, a public canteen, a Planning and Research section, a Record Creation section, a Preservation & Conservation section and an ISBN Agency. All of the manuscript and rare books, reading halls, meeting rooms, and seminar rooms are located on the first floor, while the second and last floor houses 14 research rooms.
The building is equipped with stairs and elevators to transport people and books to different floors. The structure is also home to an auditorium with a seating capacity of 400 people. Meanwhile, a total of 500 seats are available for researchers and readers in the various reading halls.
On the whole, the National Library of Pakistan aims to facilitate young minds that are eager to learn more about history, science, and a range of other subjects. The goal is to not just preserve knowledge but to also share it with those who want to know more. It is also the ideal place to find peace and quiet for a solo study session surrounded by texts that can help students with their research and assignments.
The library is open to the public for free. However, if you want to truly benefit from all of its collections and services, become a member of NLP with a one-time cost of PKR 300. The membership card is valid for three years, after which you must renew it within a month to continue the membership for free for another three years. Otherwise, the membership will be cancelled and you will need to submit the registration fee all over again.
Islamabad Public Library
Address: 9th Avenue, Sector H-9/4
Timings: Monday to Saturday – 9 am to 5 pm
Home to more than 30,000 books, the Islamabad Public Library is the next best haunt for students looking for reference materials and a place to study. It is frequently visited by research scholars or CSS students. The library has a pleasant environment that will motivate you to study harder. A membership card for the library is available for a small one-time fee, after which, you will be able to take books back home as well.
Quaid Public Library
Address: Fatima Jinnah Park, Sector F-9
Timings: Monday to Saturday – 9 am to 4 pm
Located in Fatima Jinnah Park, the Quaid Public Library or Aiwan-e-Quaid Library is also among the top public libraries in Islamabad. The library offers a large collection of literary texts as well as reading areas for both students and avid readers alike to benefit from the joy of knowledge. The membership of the library costs PKR 300. With a refundable deposit of PKR 2,000, you will also be able to borrow books from the library.
The best part about this library is that it caters to the reading preferences of all ages, especially since the Model Children’s Library in Islamabad was moved into the same building. Now, the library has a colourful floor dedicated to their young readers with age-appropriate books. Events and reading hours are also held on the premises to keep the little ones entertained.
Community Libraries
Islamabad Community Libraries (ICLs) in different sectors of Islamabad hope to provide students with a safe and quiet spot to study as well as get easy access to research texts. The six ICLs are located at:
- Colonel Sher Khan Road, F-11 Markaz, Sector F-11
- Khushal Khan Khattak Road, Sector G-7/3
- Street 10, Sector G-8/2
- G-11 Markaz, Sector G-11
- I-8 Markaz, Sector I-8
- Street 57, Sector I-10/1
This concludes our list of the top public libraries in Islamabad. Many universities and educational institutions in Islamabad also have their own libraries or research collections for their students. As a researcher and student, you might also benefit from knowing the locations of some of the best stationery shops in Islamabad.
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