Library

Lahore Museum Research & Reference Library (LMRRL)

The Museum Library was established as a part of the Lahore Museum in 1894. This is a reference library that began as a small collection of books in a single room and has expanded its variety and collection to include books, periodicals, pamphlets, reports and articles. The Library is located at upper story of Lahore Museum Auditorium, and is open and free to the public.

Research & Reference Collection

Antiquities of Lahore Museum range from prehistoric times to modern period. All these help us to study our past and know historical realities. The library is a rich archive of journals and books on a number of wide-ranging subjects particular to the South Asian region. The museum’s library has a special focus on   material that engages with subjects such as museology, art, culture and civilization, ethnography, anthropology, architecture, numismatics, archaeology, history, crafts, oriental languages and conservation.

The Museum Library is famous amongst students and researchers for its rare collection. Examples of some rare books in the Library are:

• Textile fabrics of India by Watson - 1866
• Encyclopedia Britannica –1882
• Archaeology Survey of India –1873
• National Monuments of Indian –1885
• Indian Antiquary by Richard Carnac –1893
• The Arabian Nights – Published in 1897

Periodicals

The library is rich in old journals, magazines, newspapers and working reports. The scope of contents and subjects pertain to history and museology. Examples of popularly accessed periodicals are:

• Daily INQILAB (Urdu)
• Daily ZAMINDAR (Urdu)
• Daily CIVIL & MILITARY GAZETT E ((English)
• Weekly THE ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY INDIA (English)
• Weekly KHILAFAT (Urdu)
• Weekly SIYYASAT (Urdu)
• Monthly AL-JAMIATA (Urdu)
• Yearly REPORT ON THE WORKING OF CENTRAL MUSEUM, LAHORE (English)
• The journal of Indian art (India art and industry) - 1886

Donated / Gifted Collection

The Museum is fortunate to have been the recipient of many generous donations from many scholars and literary individuals who have donated their collections to the library.  Notable among them are:

• Col. Kh. Abdul Rashid.
• Maulana Ghulam Rasool Mehr
• Dr. M. Baqir
• Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj
• Dr. Abdus Salam Khurshid

Library Services and Facilities

The following services and facilities are offered:-

• Research and Reference
• Photocopying
• Inter-Library Loan.
• Copying from Scanned Collection
• Scanning facility

Membership

Interested reader may join the library if they fulfil certain criteria. The basic qualification for membership will is BA degree in any discipline. Undergraduates students and individuals doing their research will also be given a membership for a limited period.

Membership Categories

The following are the categories of readers:-

• A.   Category-I(Lending Service)
  • A-I   The Chairman and BOG Members of Lahore Museum.
  • A-II   Museum Officers / officials
• B. Category-II (Non Lending Service)
  • B-I   HONORARY LIFE MEMBER
    • a. The Director, Lahore Museum may confer honorary life membership to any five citizens
    • b.   Ex-Officer of the Lahore Museum can be Honorary Life Member of the Library.
  • B-II    LIFE MEMBERSHIP
    Any citizen who can be eligible for Life Membership provided that he / she donates one time a sum of Rupees 2,000/=.
  • B-III   RESEARCH SCHOLAR MEMBERSHIP
    Any person possessing Master Degree and above in history, archaeology, art and oriental languages can be member.
  • B-IV    STUDENT MEMBERSHIP
    Graduate and post-graduate students engaged in research thesis or assignment in the various disciplines of art, history, archaeology and oriental languages could be a member providing a recommendation letter by the Head of their Institutions.
  • B-V     CASUAL MEMBERSHIP (1-3 months only)
    Casual membership is also provided to the researchers / students related with art, history, archaeology, and oriental languages for a specific period i.e. 30 days, extendable twice a time.

Membership Fee

The rate of membership fee shall be as under: -

Library Timings

The working hours observed throughout the year from Monday to Friday: 09.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m. (Except Saturday and Sunday).