Govt. Punjab Public Library, Lahore, lies in the heart of the city of Lahore at Library Road near the Lahore museum, off Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam. It is surrounded by educational institutions and the Punjab University (Old Campus). The commercial center of Anarkali, the main offices of the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (TownHall) and the provincial government offices, i.e., the Civil Secretariat, are a short distance from this building.
Introduction
The library holds a collection of books in all fields of knowledge in English, Urdu, Persian, Arabic and Punjabi. Its total collection is about 375,000 and includes books, bound volumes of back numbers of magazines/ newspapers, reports, the old gazettes of Punjab, Pakistan and undivided India, and more than 1500 manuscripts. The Library receives 170 magazines, 33 journals are subscribed while the rest are complementary copies. 12 dailies are received in the library.
History
Govt. Punjab Public Library, Lahore, Pakistan, was established by order No. 2798 dated 8 November 1884 of the lieutenant governor of the Punjab, in the Home General Department. It has been registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
The library began operations in the Baradari Wazir Khan, an imperial building built by Nawab Wazir Khan, the governor of Lahore, during Emperor Shahjahan’s reign with the assistance of the government of the Punjab. Its purpose is to be a public library and reading room.
Other library blocks were built in 1939, and a block housing the auditorium and Bait-ul-Quran section was constructed in 1968 and inaugurated by General Mohammad Musa, then governor of West Pakistan.
Facilities & Services
Reading Halls
There are three reading halls in the library which provides sitting facility to readers. They can stay in these section for study literature. These are the silent zone for provise better services. Such as
Reference Section & Reading Hall
Reference section and reading hall has sitting capacity of 75 readers with separate sitting arrangements for female readers in this section users can consult reference books like encyclopedias, journals & books on all discipline. Personal books are not allowed in this section.
Children Section & Personal Book Reading Hall
Children section hall has collection on children books, encyclopedias and other reading material. Readers can sit and study their personal books here.
Record Section Hall
Record section hall is avaiable for reading / consulting old & new newspapers.
Internet
Library has two links of 50 MB each high speed internet facility. Users can use it at the E-Library and do their research work with nominal charges.
Book Borrowing
Books are issued from circulation desk only to library members. Two books can be issued to general member and four books are issued to life member. Books are issued to a reader fro one month, after that users can re-issue the books from the library circulation counter.
Book Demand
Members of the library can demand for a book by filling performa. Acquisition section then purchases the book and provides to the reader. In order to download the demand form, click here.
Digitization
This section is responsible to digitize the old and rare material of the library. Digitization facilities are also available for readers and researchers with nominal charges. Users can get needed information both in print and soft format. These services help in getting the specific information which cannot be issued .
Photocopy
Photocopying service is available in the library. Users can get the copy of the desired documents with nominal charges.
Auditorium
Library auditorium located on the ground floor.It has with more than 125 seating capacity. This hall is intended for activities like cultural events, exhibitions, seminars, symposiums & other related activities.
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