The library has acquired and developed variety of resources to support the teaching and research programs offered at GC University Lahore. They are well organized and easy accessible, arranged into various sections according to the specific nature of material and the requirements of the users. The detail is as under:

I) GENERAL COLLECTION:

This is the main collection comprised high quality selected old and new books. This collection is organized according to Dewey Decimal Classification scheme and shelved subject wise accessing to Call Number (000-999) pasted on the spine of each item.

II) PERIODICAL COLLECTION:

It is functioning in postgraduate library. The library has been subscribing different national and international journals and magazines in print. The current issues are displayed on special shelves in the sections. Back volumes of the same are bound and shelved separately. The Periodicals kept in Main and Postgraduate Library.

III) DONATED PERSONAL COLLECTIONS:

Scholars, writers and book lovers have always kept and maintained personal libraries at their residences. However, the preservation of those books on scientific lines and their free access to general masses has never been manageable for them. These limitations have led some of them to sell or donate their personal collections to public or institutional libraries at some point in their life.

The Punjab University Library, one of the oldest in our country, has received 20 Personal Collections to date. The PU Library acquired 08 collections before 1947 and 12 collections after independence. The total number of books in these collections is 67,000. The number of books added to the library in this category after 1947 is 31,000. During the last ten years, the library has managed to get only 3 collections, which included 10,707 books. The prominent scholars and professors whose books were donated/sold to this library are: Prof. H M Percival, Chaudhry Shahabuddin, Maulvi Mehboob Alam (Editor Paisa Akhbar), Maulana Muhammad Hussain Azad, Haliz Mehmood Sheerani, Allama Asghar Ali Roohi, Hakeem Moosa Amritsari, Sibt-e-Hassan Zaigham and Mian Jamil Ahmad Sharqpoori. The library received its last collection in 2002. The PU Library spent substantial amount to purchase most of these collections. Most of the prominent libraries in Lahore, such as the Quaid-e-Azam Library and the Punjab Public Library, do not possess any collections worth mentioning.

The library at GC University Lahore stands tall among its peers on account of its strong category of personal collections. The GCU Library boasts of over 55 personal collections having more than 1,50,000 books, none of which was bought. The scholars or their descendants donated their collections to GCU after having been impressed by the high standards of book preservation and literary utility at this oldest seat of learning in Pakistan. Some prominent scholars who have had a life-long association with rival institutions preferred to trust GCU in this regard. Prof Dr. Waheed Qureshi reposed his trust in GCU by offering 35,000 valuable books and journals to the GCU Library without charging a single penny in 2003. It also includes 6134 letters of 1933 literary figures of Urdu language and literature. In an interview, he disclosed that several rare manuscripts had been stolen from the PU Library, some of which were sold in London. The heirs of Prof Dr. Ebadat Bralevi and Prof Syed Viqar Azeem — the two distinguished professors of Punjab University Oriental College donated their precious collections to GCU.

Prof Dr. Ajmal’s personal collection had been sent to England many years ago. But his son, after his visit to the GCU Library, decided to bring his books back to Pakistan and donate them to GCU.

The historical record of about 10000 letters and scripts of famous short stories, poems and essays has recently been donated to GCU by Mr. Javaid Tufail, the Editor Nuqoosh, Prof. Dr. Waheed Qureshi and Bashir Mojed on behalf of Late Mirza Adeeb family. GCU Lahore also set up Nuqoosh Museum at the GCU Library.

The oldest collection at GCU was donated by Dr. Muhammad Sadiq. In 1978, Prof. Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum’s personal collection was donated to Government College where he had taught Urdu and Persian for decades. Mr. Shahid Hameed, Mr. Zaka Rehmatullah and Prof Qayum Nazar’s personal collections came to Government College Lahore from 1985 to 1990. Thus, the GCU Library received 5 collections with 4673 books since its inception in 1872 up till 1990. During the tenure of Prof Dr. Khalid Aftab (Principal Jan 1993- Sept 2002, Vice Chancellor Sept 2002- Feb 2011) GCU received over 48 personal collections. During the last two years there are six more collection received in the library. At present there are more than 1,50,000 books and journals in all the following received personal collections. It speaks volumes about the Vice Chancellor’s keen interest in enhancing the various facilities at the library.
 

Distinguished poet and renowned Old Ravian Mr. N.M. Rashid had bought Saadat Hasssan Manto’s famous typewriter from Manto while they both worked in All India Radio Delhi. Rashid kept this typewriter with him throughout his life. His widow recently gave it to Saqi Farooqi to be handed over to GCU. This historic typewriter of Manto along with Rashid’s Pakistani and UNO passport, cigars and ties has also been preserved at the GCU Library.

Besides above personal collections, a special collection has been developed in 1998. These include very old and rare books on various subjects in English, Arabic, Persian and Urdu. These have been arranged and placed in a separate room in the Central Library. The readers are allowed to utilize collections within the library premises. However these books are not issued. An index with library reference pages of valuable collection of former Indian Govt. documents, reports, gazettes, gazetteers and university calendars is arranged subject wise. These documents can only be consulted within the library during conventional office hours.

The details of the prominent men of letters who presented their books to GCU are as under:-

GCU Personal Collection: Year wise List

(for alphabetic list please Click Here)

# The Book Donors

All the accession registers are available in the Acquisition Section.