Print

    The Library Project: Citizens Breathing Life into Libraries

    Written by: Aiman Javed
    Posted on: October 18, 2018 | | 中文

    Mehreena Aziz Khan sits with the children, in the kid's corner

    In the late afternoon sunlight, the white and beige Aiwan-e-Quaid building looks beautiful as I walk inside the Fatima Jinnah Park, Islamabad. Within lies the nearly empty Quaid Public Library (QPL), where the library clerk, Razzaq, guides me towards the basement. A few volunteers from ‘The Library Project’ are huddled around a small table and I recognize Mehreena Aziz Khan, the force behind the initiative. She greets me warmly and we immediately fall into conversation about the project.

    Aiwan-e-Quaid

    Aiwan-e-Quaid

    I ask Mehreena how she ended up spearheading the initiative, and she discusses that she has witnessed the significance of libraries in community life abroad. She finds it pitiful that our public libraries, which have wonderful locations, basic infrastructure, funds and staff, remain underutilized. Since she had some free time on her hands, she took up the worthy cause and now she’s involved with it full-time. We talk about the online petition circulated at the start of the year to save the libraries from being auctioned off. To-date, a whopping 9730 citizens have signed this petition, and yet, there aren’t many visitors to be found at local libraries.

    Mahnoor Malik, a volunteer for the project, and a student at the Islamic University, passionately tells me about a recent book reading session arranged for The City School Kindergartners in this basement. Though an economics student, Mahnoor wants to impact young lives, and as a storyteller at the event, she did just that. She paints a distressing picture of the prior condition of the basement; infested with rats and filled with trash. They cleaned it up and cleared it out, and were fortunately lent logistical support by Kuch Khaas for the book reading session. Eventually, they intend to turn the basement into a children’s section of the library, but the inadequate ventilation has made this impossible. Nevertheless, this citizen-led initiative seems undeterred by such setbacks.

    Mahnoor at the Book Reading Session

    Mahnoor at the Book Reading Session (Source: The Library Project)

    Already, after just ten months of work, they have achieved a number of milestones including signing an MOU with the Department of Libraries, and getting the approval of the DG Libraries for their activities. The Quaid Public Library is their pilot project, but the department has also begun to take an interest. Recently, they renovated the F-11 library, including fixing the broken roof. “When we started visiting QPL, the seats here were torn, there were no lockers and the Wi-Fi would barely work. But ever since we’ve been involved, these issues have been fixed,” Mehreena tells me. They are making an effort on multiple levels; managing social media, recommending books to the Libraries Department, coming up with new layout plans for the spaces, and most importantly, arranging community events. The intention isn’t just to renovate the libraries, but also to encourage community synergy, so that citizens come together, communicate and learn together in these spaces.

    A meeting of volunteers in March

    A meeting of volunteers in March (Source: The Library Project)

    In fact, the project itself has brought together a ‘motley crew’ of volunteers. Behram Khan, Mehreena’s husband, has over 15 years of senior IT systems management experience, and is keen to get cracking with the implementation of a modern library information system. Other project mainstays include Irfan Ahmed, who left a lucrative multinational corporate position in the US, to pursue writing and community work in Pakistan. I also meet Sabeena Abbasi, social media manager for the project, who explains how she realized the importance of libraries, while working with Teach for Pakistan, Karachi. “I managed a year-long programme meant to improve the English language skills of students,” she narrates. Due to a lack of resources, their library was a single carton full of books, but by the end of the year, the progress of the children was remarkable. Not only could they read, they also understood the meanings of the stories. Sabeena felt compelled to contribute when Mehreena kick-started ‘The Library Project’ in Islamabad. Other volunteers include talented architects, social activists, lawyers, thespians, graphic designers, accountants, programmers and academics committed to community activism.

    I wander over to the library clerks, Razzaq and Waqar, who inform me that most of the library members are CSS students, and convey the impression that children don’t usually visit. Though that may have been the case, there is now a colourful kid’s corner in the library, set up by The Library Project. On my next visit to QPL, I meet the 11 year old Faris, who is visiting the library for a book exchange activity arranged by The Library Project. His cousins have also tagged along, and there is a gaggle of excited children, all tightly clutching books they’ve just exchanged. Faris is holding onto, ‘The Secret Garden,’ and we strike a conversation about our interest in the Harry Potter series. As his cousin jumps in, I realize how easily our age gap has been bridged, just because of similar reading habits.

    A girl talks about her favourite book, Matilda

    A girl talks about her favourite book, Matilda

    Though the government has been largely cooperative, there are still several administrative hurdles The Library Project keeps coming across, and perhaps the biggest issue is the slow bureaucratic process. After their initial call to action, citizens were eager to contribute, but as the days passed by, interest level also dropped with volunteers feeling discouraged. The team expressed hope that the new government will speed up implementation. Mehreena remains fully motivated, and her enthusiasm is catching. As Mahnoor puts it, she partly wants to keep volunteering because of her leadership.

    Inside the Quaid Public Library

    Inside the Quaid Public Library

    While struggling to improve the facilities of the library, they have simultaneously begun arranging events. Next Saturday, in collaboration with IDEAS/Bazeecha Trust, they will conduct a Dyslexia Awareness Day at QPL. Ultimately, with any events, their aim is to draw attention towards the library, encourage visitors, gather feedback, and push for real change. “We’re bursting with ideas, such as setting up a tuck shop outside this library! But we need people to show up,” Mehreena explains, “Ultimately, we want to breathe life into libraries by bringing the book lovers back!”


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021