Anjuman Behbood-e-Bashindigan Block ‘J’ of North Nazimabad Karachi has a unique library, where hundreds of students from nearby vicinities flock daily to concentrate on their studies. I have deliberately used an adjective ‘unique’ for the library as it provides maximum opportunities to its visitors, which is rare in Karachi. It stays open on weekly off days as well as public holidays and even during the continuous strikes in Karachi. It also remains open for longer hours from 09am to 11pm. It has recently facilitated its visitors by installing three computers.
On the other hand, many libraries in Karachi don’t provide many opportunities to their visitors as they are either public libraries or private libraries. Public libraries are not visitor friendly as generally their staff is very rude to the general public. As far as the private libraries are concerned their organizations, under which they are run, don’t have a will to finance their libraries. They just want to take advantage from the government on the name of running a ‘welfare activity’.
Two weekly offs days; public holidays, many strikes and black-days mar the progress for the students who are determined to excel in studies. Persistent loadshedding and political turmoil in the metropolis also hinder the education of students. I therefore appreciate the people behind the library of Anjuman Behbood-e-Bashindigan, Karachi as they have made a wonderful contribution. Now the students residing in the nearby areas can avail the best. I would like to request the government and the organizations patronising public and private libraries respectively in Karachi to extend their libraries timings and try their utmost to make libraries visitor-friendly. I also request the Anjuman to subscribe maximum number of newspapers from home and abroad and widen its book sections as much as it could.
JAWED AHMED KHURSHEED,
Karachi, December 5.