SYNOPSIS

MUHAMMAD UMAIR

PUBLIC LIBRARY
LAHORE

12014795-023

Mian Muhammad Umair

Public Library
Abstract:
Todays public library building in a peculiar position as media changes from the
tactile to the digital. The thesis aim to illustrate the continued importance of the
library as a physical place within the community. No longer has a place simply to
store books, the library become a place for human interaction, a place for public
discourse, and a place for continued education. Far from obsoleting, the public
library building will continue to be a crucial place within the community for many
years to come. Documentation of process will be done through the use of
photography, sketching, audio/visual recording and any other method found to be
useful. Therefore thesis aim is to design such a library which provide information
about history, creating a sense of place, identity and being a society attic.

Background:
The library can trace its roots nearly back to the beginning of civilizations.
Archives have been found in ancient Mesopotamia, with literature inscribed on
clay tablets. Literature was reserved for only the most affluent members of society
including the wealthy and the royal. Religious establishments, such as temples,
Masajid also kept archives of text.
The first public library was created sometime around the 4 th century BCE by the
Greeks. The Greeks were especially exceptional library builders due to their ability
to copy texts and distribute them throughout libraries
Public library building of the 21st century remains a crucial place within the
community as it provide access to resources that may be otherwise unavailable to
the members of the public. Even as media moves into the digital realm. The library
as a physical place remains an important aspect of the community. As well as it
allows for interaction between community members and access to resources that
may otherwise be unavailable. There are different types of library which are
commonly used academic libraries, public libraries, school libraries and special
libraries.
Pakistan is in dire need of a functioning public library system. A profile of the
country of Pakistan, and a history of the library in Pakistan, is offered. Pakistan's
literacy rate is one of the lowest in the world: 37 percent. In rural areas, it is 27
percent; in urban areas, 58 percent. Literacy is defined by the government as the

ability to write one's name in any one of Pakistan's languages or in English. The
general library history is short-lived. The current system needs much improvement
A library is a collection of sources, resources, and services, and the structure in
which it is housed; it is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an
institution, or a private individual. In the more traditional sense, a library is a
collection of books. It can mean the collection, the building or room that houses
such a collection, or both. The term "library" has itself acquired a secondary
meaning: "a collection of useful material for common use," and in this sense is
used in fields such as computer science, mathematics, statistics, electronics and
biology.
Public and institutional collections and services may be intended for use by people
who choose not to or cannot afford to purchase an extensive collection
themselves, who need material no individual can reasonably be expected to have,
or who require professional assistance with their research. In addition to providing
materials, libraries also provide the services of librarians who are experts at finding
and organizing information and at interpreting information needs.
However, with the sets and collection of media and of media other than books for
storing information, many libraries are now also repositories and access points for
maps, prints, or other documents and various storage media such as microform
(microfilm/microfiche), audio tapes, CDs, cassettes, videotapes, DVDs and video
games. Libraries may also provide public facilities to access subscription databases
and the Internet.
Thus, modern libraries are increasingly being redefined as places to get
unrestricted access to information in many formats and from many sources. They
are understood as extending beyond the physical walls of a building, by including
material accessible by electronic means, and by providing the assistance of
librarians in navigating and analyzing tremendous amounts of knowledge with a
variety of digital tools.

Aims & Objectives:

Work across disciplines and make new connections outside of the
classrooms
Guidance and education

Inspiring atmosphere
Contribute to the intellectual advancement of the country
Illustrate the importance of library as a physical place within the community
Make accessible at one place information

Scope of work:
To design a master plan of library
Detail design of reading room, display areas, auditorium, administration,
children section, adult area, researcher area, rare books/ archives storage,
research center.
Restaurant, gift shop, outdoor Amphitheatre, gallery spaces.

Research aspects:
Access to the library and its media should be obvious for everybody
There should be multifarious space for formal and informal communication
between customers and staff
The interior should offer an attractive and comfortable environment for both
customers and staff
The library building should adequately represent its institutional philosophy
and aims
Its building design, structure and appliances should give considerations to
sustainability

Research methodology:
Literature review
Case studies
Discussions & interviews

Case studies:
Quaid-e-Azam library Lahore
Punjab Public library Lahore

Seattle central library

Minneapolis central library

Site:
Lahore Knowledge Park (Lahore)