Punjab university library

Punjab university library:

History and Introduction:

There are more than fifty six self-governing libraries in every teaching department and institute of University of the Punjab Lahore including a central library, which is known as Punjab University Library. It was established in 1873 as “Punjab University College Library”. The Punjab University College was raised to the status of a University in 1882 and it became the Punjab University Library from the same date.The first source of the University library lay in the collection of Sir Donald MacLeod of nearly 2,000 volumes, which the University College bought from him for Rs. 2500/- in 1873. This was a good beginning, but nothing seems to have been done for a generation to enhance it.In September, 1909, Rs. 36,000 had been spent upon the purchasing of books and fittings. A specially personalized building was clearly necessary, and in 1910 the Syndicate acquired a site in proximity to the Senate Hall and plans for its erection were prepared by Bhai Ram Singh, Principal of the Mayo School of Arts, who also designed the University Hall and Khalsa College, Amritsar, all handsome edifices in the traditional style of North-Western India. The foundation-stone was laid by the Chancellor, Sir Louis Dane, on 27th February, 1911; the building proceeded rapidly and the first portion was formally opened by the same Chancellor in April, 1912. The development of the Library was so rapid during the next three years that at the end of 1915 the building had to be extended to the dimensions considered in the original plan. The entire building was completed in February, 1917 with cost of Rs. 1,60,000. It is a two storied building of attractive design (at Allama Iqbal Campus).

A month after the laying of the foundation-stone the University Library received a valuable succession from an unexpected source. There are lots of famous educational personalities who contributed their precious collection to the library including Mr. H.M. Percival, M.A.I.E.S., Professor of English Literature, Presidency College Calcutta, Agha Mohammad Ibrahim presented the collection of his father, Shams-ul-Ulema Maulvi Mohammad Hussain Azad, Sir Edward Maclagan, K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E. The gradually increasing collection of books in the library was classified in 1916 by an American expert, Mr. A.D. Dickinson, who also initiated a class for the training of the librarians.At the time of the emergence of Pakistan, there were 1,44,204 books in the Library and now its collection regarding books, journals, manuscripts and other reading material is 4,42,300 approximately including some very precious personal / special collections.

The Punjab University Library was shifted to the new building Quaid-i-Azam Campus in 1988 from the old building Allama Iqbal Campus. The present building was constructed with the special funds of federal government of Rs. 15 million and building was handed over to the chief librarian in September 1987, but shifting process was started in March 1988 and completed in June 1988. This is a beautiful two storied building and total area of the building is 1,02,000 sq. feet. There are big reading halls on the ground and first floor where students can read books peacefully and there is pin drop silence in these reading halls. The seating capacity of these halls is up to 250 readers.These air-conditioned rooms provide atmosphere encouraging to serious studies and act as silence zones of the Library. The internet lab was started in January 2000 where students can use internet for research work according to modern techniques of 21st century.The work of library computerization was started on October 2000. The processing of all the English material has been completed and now Urdu material is almost completed. Moreover library has started a database of its newspaper index a monthly publication of newspaper articles being published in various local and foreign newspapers. Formerly the index was only available in printed format. The database software used both for books and serials are WIN/ISIS. Software was searchable under a number of categories like author, title, subject, heading, publishers, classification etc.From 2005 our WINISIS catalogue has been transferred to Multilingual Library and Information Management System (MLIMS). This has enabled us to enter data in the oriental languages including Urdu, Persian, Arabic and Punjabi etc. Readers are supposed to consult the computerized catalogue for up-to-date information instead of manual catalogue, where OPAC terminals have been provided at ground and 1st floor with multilingual searching capabilities. Network access is available on several terminals at the library.There are collection in nine different languages and different types as print material, CDs, DVDs, Microfilms, Microfiches, Video and Audio Cassettes and Manuscripts in the Punjab University Library. The library also provide the audio visual facilities to readers like TV, VCR, CD/DVD drivers and writers, multimedia projectors and many more.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF:

Chief Librarian 01
Deputy Chief Librarians 11
Senior Librarians 08
Librarians 08
Network Administrator 01
Total Professionals 29
NON-PROFESSIONALS 100
DAILY WAGES 04
GRAND TOTAL 133,CHIEF LIBRARIAN Ch. Muhammad Hanif M.A. Library & Information Science (Distinction)