National Library of Pakistan
The National Library of Pakistan (Urdu:قومى کتب خانہ پاکستان) is located in the vicinity of the Red Zone, Islamabad, Pakistan. Argued to be the country's oldest cultural institution, the library is a leading resource for information— ancient and new. The National Library collection includes approximately 66% of all serial and 50-55% of all books publications in the country.
| National Library | |
|---|---|
| Location | Isfahani Road, Red Zone, Islamabad, Pakistan, Pakistan |
| Type | Research and Depository |
| Established | 1951 Reconstituted in 1993 |
| Branch of | N/A |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | ~200,000 catalogued books in the Library system 580 hand written ancient manuscripts and over 10,000 key text on the history of Urdu, Arabic, Persian, and English languages; 55,836 book on science and technology; ~40,000 bound volumes of newspapers and periodicals |
| Size | 300,000 |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | Library does not publicly circulate |
| Population served | 442 members of the Parliament of Pakistan, their staff, and members of the public |
| Other information | |
| Budget | ₨.60.2 million |
| Director | Ch. Muhammad Nazir Chief National Librarian |
| Employees | ~178 |
| Website | www |
Designed with Eastern architecture, the library includes space for 500 readers, has 15 research rooms, a 450-seat auditorium, and provides computer and microfilm services. At its opening in 1993, the library owned a collection of 130,000 volumes and 600 manuscripts. The National Library's mission is to promote literacy and serve as a dynamic cultural and educational center for the state's capital Islamabad.