RAWALPINDI: After theft of books from the shelves of a street library in the Miyawaki forest near Rialto Bridge on Murree Road, the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has temporarily closed the library.

RDA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa told Dawn that the library would be functional again within a few days.

“After the theft of a few books, we decided to keep the books in safe custody in the RDA offices,” he said.

As per an initial inquiry, some drug addicts broke the glass and stole the books, he added.

“For the security of books, we have decided to deploy a person around the library. The library would be functional soon and RDA will create awareness among the citizens to protect books in public places. We have established the library to promote book reading culture,” said the RDA chief.

In 2021, the civic authority established the street library with the help of a social welfare organisation and made arrangements of seating for visitors. This was the first of its kind facility in Rawalpindi city.

We have decided to keep books in safe custody and will reopen library in few days, says RDA chief

The visitors can sit on benches outside the Miyawaki urban forest having 8,000 plants of 52 different species and enjoy reading at the lush green patch developed by the civic authority.

According to the RDA official, the purpose of establishing the street library was to encourage books to be recycled and shared, provide community members access to literature and joys of reading, enhance opportunities for community members to meet, connect and socialise.

“The commuters and people passing by are welcomed to stop and browse an ever-changing selection of books, including history, biographies, travel guides and poetry,” he said.

The idea is that people can take a book without the need to check in or out or they can leave a book. The books are free to borrow and can either be returned or exchanged for another book.

Mohammad Anwar, a visitor, said street libraries should be established at prominent places like parks and metro bus stations instead of backyards. He said in the summer season nobody visited such sites.

He said in parks while children play their parents can read books. He said in most parks students from downtown area visited to study and book reading shelves should be set up there.

Ali Haider, a resident of Arya Mohallah, said he was not aware of the street library located near his house. He said there was only one library at Liaquat Bagh but the procedure of getting its membership was was difficult.

He said with internet available on cellphones, such libraries were set up just to get publicity. He said books stealing was common and the only way to stop it was to establish such libraries in parks, bus stations or railway stations where people in waiting areas could spend some time positively.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2023