Prof Shazia Cheema
MY recent visit to a library changed my entire perception about domestic libraries which was deeply ingrained after experience of many years with school, college, university and public libraries. A dark gloomy space, empty shelves with no proper seating arrangement, where finding a book is a self help task which majority of the times ended up on a hurting revelation that relevant books are not available. Research journals and periodical is an alien idea for most of the librarians.
Libraries are binding elements between existing knowledge and knowledge creation, that’s why considered most important tool for a civilized society, from century’s societies are depending on libraries as a primary source for learning experience, long before internet, libraries were the only place where knowledge could be stored for future generations.
Knowledge creation is a slow process and library is a place where the entire process of knowledge creation can be found chronically, although with the technological advancement the form and shape of knowledge storage has been changed and printed books are not the only medium for learning and teaching but the function of library remains the same.
As an extensive reader, I have observed many libraries inside and outside the country, more or less libraries are generic in form and shape; the only difference could be seen in their linkage with public. Unfortunately not all libraries share the same level of prestige because it depends upon their functionality. In this modern era institutional influence is the key to connect general public and that particular institution. Evidently public demands are different for a library at present as compared to the past. Library as an institution has to meet the requirement of time.
One such library is National Library of Pakistan (NLP). A few years back, it depicted the same picture as stated in first paragraph, miraculously, now it has nothing similar as usual Pakistani libraries and the hand behind this transformation is none other than DG, NLP, Syed Ghayour Hussain, whose vision plus tiring effort has manifested in current form of that library. It could be compared to any developed countries library by all means.
A wide, fully lighted entrance is not only welcoming but persuasive as well, that very eagerness takes one toward the comfortable central seating area, the ambiance filled with concerned knowledge seeker and support staff referring to different sections all complementing the grandeur of the infrastructure. Library has been divided into different areas including a spacious place for researchers and students with extensive academic reading materiel and access to 50,000 journals and periodicals world-wide, another area for rare books, yet another for blind and deaf people.
The technological equipments are fully functional plus accessible to all. The vision of caretaker is evident in the future leaders’ hall and specific area for young inventor “maker’s lab”. Inside the future leaders’ hall, young people can avail the opportunity of discussion in an academic facility and maker’s lab provide young innovators all the manual and mechanical help to execute their ideas?
The most fascinating area are senior citizen lounge and area for the kids, kids hall; beautifully decorated with pleasant comfortable seating provides thousand of books for children, adjacent to that area a comparatively small theatre is built for storytelling and kids’ presentation skills enhancement. Library has a huge auditorium to facilitate seminars, lectures and conferences, renovated interior makes it more spacious and luminous. Library management organizes series of different events catering to the needs of every sphere of life on a monthly basis.
The untiring effort of Syed Ghayour Hussain and his utmost commitment always directed him to avail any possible opportunity to enhance standard of the library. One such effort could be seen in his collaboration with different embassies. Different countries designed their own sections by providing books and equipment. Digital section is digitalizing all rare manuscript, books and periodicals… including the rarest hand written scriptures.
Alongside preservation of knowledge trough digitalization another department is working on international publisher’s code to align domestic publishers with international market. The National Library of Pakistan is playing a library’s primary role of a facilitator, earnestly and effectively. In essence NLP is providing every help to the citizens, possible in its domain and capacity.
—The writer is associated with the University of Lahore.
