Peshawar’s Archives Library longs for repairs

People fear leakages at the library will drown a century’s worth of records and books

PESHAWAR:

While public libraries are recognised as a defining feature of any developed society, the lone public library of its stature, dedicated to the city of Peshawar is said to be in a state of decay. The Peshawar Archives Library which houses some of the earliest records dating back to the 19th century in its archives section is slowly crumbling to dust while a professional archivist hasn’t graced the facility since 1946.

Per a library official, an archivist is a professional with expertise in assessing, organizing, and archiving records, in addition to maintaining and preserving books. “Yes, we don’t have an archivist—something mandatory for maintaining record at the Archives. The job is being done by researchers—not the right person for the post,” a senior official at the Directorate of Archives and Libraries told The Express Tribune.

The public library, home to over 150,000 books on a variety of topics that cater to people of all ages, receives a daily footfall of over 500 readers ranging from university and college students to professionals, children, and government servants.

However, the prime concern for these visitors is the severe drainage issue at the facility, which they believe needs to be addressed “on a war footing.” Per a senior official of the library, the water that flows into the facility also poses a great risk to the historical archives and the collection of books that they have preserved over the many years. “I fear that we will end up losing this treasure if the issue is not addressed soon,” he added.

Speaking in this regard, Director Archives and Libraries Raheela Hafeez said that the facility has been upgraded from time to time, and books have been purchased on demand. “However, some officials have now been complaining about certain shortcomings, including lack of infrastructure repair and maintenance at the library. It is understandable that humidity affects books and damages them,” she corroborated.

The Saalim Khan Library in Hayatabad, although privately owned by a former member of the National Assembly, is also in severe need of the government’s attention. According to Archives Library’s Senior Researcher Dr Ashfaq, they have requested the owner of Saalim Khan Library to hand over the facility to the Directorate of Archives and Libraries, but their request has been met with some kind of reluctance. “He [the owner] wants complete command of the library, which is something we cannot agree upon,” the researcher commented.

Ashfaq believes that if the Saalim Khan library is handed over to the directorate, there is a great chance that it will be developed with a more extensive collection of books and a dedicated staff to take care of the facility, which the library currently lacks. “The library will then become public property and this is what the owner has been refusing,” Ashfaq said.

Citizens, on the other hand, are of the opinion that small-scale library owners should be encouraged and facilitated considering the dearth of public libraries in the area. Former Inspector General of Police Saeed Khan, a senior citizen who regularly visits Saalim Khan Library said that the facility is desperately waiting for government attention. “We have an Itwar Bazar [Sunday Market] but we don’t have a library in Hayatabad. Now since we have a small-scale facility that is majorly being maintained by us residents of Hayatabad—at least this should be taken care of by the government,” the former IG told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2022.