Library of Congress acquires Hindko language books

PESHAWAR: The Library of Congress has acquired Hindko language books from the Gandhara Hindko Academy.

A communication said the Library of Congress, Islamabad Office, Coordinator for Collection, Development and Outreach Services, Abdus Salam, made the purchases after visiting the academy, located in the University Town.

Research Officer Ali Awais Khayal and other staff members received the Library of Congress official.

Abdus Salam was told that the Hindko Academy had been working in Peshawar since 2015 under the public-private partnership. It seeks to promote the Hindko language and culture.

He was informed that the Gandhara Hindko Board, a literary and cultural organization, managed the affairs of the academy with funding from the Higher Education Department of the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The work of the Hindko Academy is not confined to Hindko alone as we have published books and publications in other Pakistani languages as well,” explained Ali Awais.

The visiting official was told that an executive committee headed by a known research scholar of the Hindko language, Muhammad Ziauddin, was mainly responsible functioning of the academy.

Ali Awais said that Dr Elahi Bakhsh Awan Library set up at the Hindko Academy had over 4,000 books. “All books have been listed and catalogued. The information has been posted on the academy’s website,” he added.

The Library of Congress official was informed that the academy had struck a collaboration with the Directorate of Archives and Libraries of KP for resource sharing.

“The Hindko Academy and the Directorate of Archives and Libraries have exchanged the lists of books. The information has been shared on the websites of both entities to facilitate the researchers,” it was explained.

The Library of Congress official was told that the library at the Hindko Academy had sections for newspaper clippings, manuscripts, audios, videos and photographs which were attracting researchers

Abus Salam evinced interest in research work being done at the Gandhara Hindko Academy and purchased several books for the Library of Congress Islamabad Office.

He said the Library of Congress was the largest in the world, with millions of books, films and video, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections.

The official said the Library of Congress advanced global research by acquiring research-level books, serials, videos, and sound recordings from the region for over 50 research libraries in the United States, Canada, and Europe under the Cooperative Acquisitions Programme .

Abdus Salam added that the Library of Congress was moved to Islamabad from Karachi in 1995. It acquired materials in all formats — monographs, serials, newspapers, DVD, and videos — and all the languages of the region from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

The official said a network of bibliographic representatives, calls to non-governmental organizations and government agencies, and exchange arrangements with numerous institutions ensured the Library of Congress had updated resources to meet information needs.