KARACHI:
Two decades ago, a student or young professional in Islamabad could walk into a public library, sit for hours, and work or read at minimal cost. Today, many of those libraries are shadows of what they once were. What has replaced them is a scattering of overpriced coffee shops that treat a seat and a few hours of peace as a privilege to be purchased.
The shift toward remote work and online learning has made access to a “third place” — a space that is neither home nor office, where people can sit, work and interact without a financial or safety barrier — more essential than ever. Home is not always conducive to focus, and years of neglect have pushed libraries into obscurity. Islamabad today has only 11 public libraries, plagued by outdated cataloguing systems, understaffing, and poor or absent internet access. In their place, roughly 70 cafes have sprung up across the city.
The result is a city with no real third place left: libraries neglected into irrelevance, and cafes too expensive to take their place. Reviving and properly maintaining its public libraries would restore a resource the city has already invested in once. Access to a free, safe place to sit is not a luxury; it is essential civic infrastructure.
Izma Ashar
Islamabad
