Jumbo Editorial Team
The Pakistan Navy Central Library (PNCL), re-branded as the PN Central Library, is housed in an unsually green surroundings of Karachi but its modern structure is comparable to the best libraries of the country.
The PN Central Library was established in 1951 at the Liaquat Barracks and it was moved to its present premises at the Pakistan Maritime Museum, located on Habib Ibrahim Rehmatullah Road near PNS Karsaz, in 2005.
The library, sitiuated in fully secured area, is now centrally air-conditioned and the entire surrounding area has been tastefully landscaped with lush green lawns and seasonal as well as perennial plants. Adequate space is available for parking to facilitate the members and the visitors.
Extensive renovation work has been carried out in the recent past to bring it at par with the best libraries of the metropolis. Its membership has been opened to the civilians at nominal costs to encourage a larger pool of people of all ages to avail the services.
With the addition of standout facilities like the commissioning of five research cubicles with internet facility, the PN Central Library has been fulfilling its commitment of providing an environment conducive to reading and to carry out research work for its members.
It is now open on all seven days of the week, except public holidays. It’s open from 8 am to 6 pm from Mondays to Thursday, 8 am to 1 pm on Fridays and 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
The collection of books, on the rise constantly, has grown in the region of 30,000 with a high percentage being on the subjects of modern sciences, international affairs, management, history, military, maritime, naval, strategy and culture besides Urdu literature.
It is believed to be the first library in Pakistan to have an extraordinary collection on Cartography with three volumes of Mathematical Geography and Cartography in Islam.
One of the top features of the library is the regular acquistion of the latest editions of some of the finest global magazines like Harvard Business Review, National Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Discover, Scientific American, Popular Science and Good House Keeping.
The members of the PN Central Library are allowed to borrow books and magazines which are issued for a period of three weeks and they can also be re-issued if there are no outstanding requests for those publications. Understandably the reference books and the current periodicals are not allowed to be taken home.
The PN Central Library’s information system has been fully computerized and its data is based on Microsoft SQL server available on speedy networked computers having easy to use and understand software which is now being effectively utilized for accessing information like scanning of books inventory through different criteria, record of membership and their accounts detail, record of newspapers and magazines subscription, and books borrowing record and its account.
Cdr (R) Muzammil Yasin Siddiqui, a dashing hockey player from the golden era of Abdul Hamid ‘Hamidi’, Anwar Ahmad Khan, Abdul Waheed Khan, Naseer Bunda, Manzoor Hussain Atif and Munir Dar to name a few, is the motivating force behind the emergence of PN Central Library as an entity of sorts and he has all the eagerness to create more facilities for its members.
The contribution of Cdr (R) Jamal Abdullah, Director, Maritime Museum, and Syed Zakir Ali, Library OIC, has been immense in its development and maintenance while the expertise and the enthusiasm of Huma Mannan Butt, a talented young librarian, have been greatly helpful in developing the public library system.
The Pakistan Navy Central Library (PNCL), re-branded as the PN Central Library, is housed in an unsually green surroundings of Karachi but its modern structure is comparable to the best libraries of the country.
The PN Central Library was established in 1951 at the Liaquat Barracks and it was moved to its present premises at the Pakistan Maritime Museum, located on Habib Ibrahim Rehmatullah Road near PNS Karsaz, in 2005.The library, sitiuated in fully secured area, is now centrally air-conditioned and the entire surrounding area has been tastefully landscaped with lush green lawns and seasonal as well as perennial plants. Adequate space is available for parking to facilitate the members and the visitors.
Extensive renovation work has been carried out in the recent past to bring it at par with the best libraries of the metropolis. Its membership has been opened to the civilians at nominal costs to encourage a larger pool of people of all ages to avail the services.
With the addition of standout facilities like the commissioning of five research cubicles with internet facility, the PN Central Library has been fulfilling its commitment of providing an environment conducive to reading and to carry out research work for its members.
It is now open on all seven days of the week, except public holidays. It’s open from 8 am to 6 pm from Mondays to Thursday, 8 am to 1 pm on Fridays and 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.The collection of books, on the rise constantly, has grown in the region of 30,000 with a high percentage being on the subjects of modern sciences, international affairs, management, history, military, maritime, naval, strategy and culture besides Urdu literature.
It is believed to be the first library in Pakistan to have an extraordinary collection on Cartography with three volumes of Mathematical Geography and Cartography in Islam.
One of the top features of the library is the regular acquistion of the latest editions of some of the finest global magazines like Harvard Business Review, National Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Discover, Scientific American, Popular Science and Good House Keeping.
The members of the PN Central Library are allowed to borrow books and magazines which are issued for a period of three weeks and they can also be re-issued if there are no outstanding requests for those publications. Understandably the reference books and the current periodicals are not allowed to be taken home.The PN Central Library’s information system has been fully computerized and its data is based on Microsoft SQL server available on speedy networked computers having easy to use and understand software which is now being effectively utilized for accessing information like scanning of books inventory through different criteria, record of membership and their accounts detail, record of newspapers and magazines subscription, and books borrowing record and its account.
Cdr (R) Muzammil Yasin Siddiqui, a dashing hockey player from the golden era of Abdul Hamid ‘Hamidi’, Anwar Ahmad Khan, Abdul Waheed Khan, Naseer Bunda, Manzoor Hussain Atif and Munir Dar to name a few, is the motivating force behind the emergence of PN Central Library as an entity of sorts and he has all the eagerness to create more facilities for its members.
The contribution of Cdr (R) Jamal Abdullah, Director, Maritime Museum, and Syed Zakir Ali, Library OIC, has been immense in its development and maintenance while the expertise and the enthusiasm of Huma Mannan Butt, a talented young librarian, have been greatly helpful in developing the public library system.
Nice article thank you sir for your efforts
ReplyDeleteCan a general citizen (Non-Navy, Army, Air force employee) become the member of this library?
ReplyDeleteYes you can.
DeleteMemebership Fees for 1st year= Rs.1200
DeleteThen every next year= Rs. 500