Research Library
One of the functions of the Institute of Sindhology has been to guide, assist and facilitate the local as well as foreign scholars in their research projects culture, history, anthropology, sociology ethnology and ethnography of various ethnic groups of Sindh. For this purpose Research and reference library has been established by collecting and preserving the significant and important books, manuscripts and historical documents. It is one of the finest and the largest modern library in the Pakistan with the most modern facilities available in our country. Efforts are being made to make it one of the most well equipped and the best libraries on Sindh in the subcontinent.
- Main books section
More than 90,000 books are available in this Section in Sindhi, Urdu, English Punjabi, Siraiki, Balochi, Brahvi, Hindi Arabic and Persian languages.
2) Book Corners
This library has vast collection of personal libraries of various prominent personalities. The collection has been displayed in the shape of Book Corners in the name of respective prominent personalities. The list of Book Corners is as under:
- Ghulam Raza Bhutto
- Kazi Abdul Khalique “Morai”
- Muhammad Ismail Ursani
4) Maps
Maps are very useful for researchers due to their importance. Library has preserved 1028 maps. Some of them were sketched before partition of Indo-Pak. The oldest one is the map of Kakar Taluka of Shikarpur Collectorate, published in 1886 from Poona (India). List of maps has been prepared and it is available for the scholars.
5) Periodical Section
This section has vast collection of rare periodicals and newspapers as well as new periodicals/newspapers. The most important newspaper of Sindh during Pakistan movement is “Al-Waheed (1920-1950). It is preserved therein. The Institute of Sindhology has preserved daily newspapers and some old/rare newspapers are also preserved, some of them are:
- Sindh Kossid, 1854-57 (English)
- Muffroh-ul-Kuloob, 1877 (Persian)
- Sind Sudhar, 1878 (Sindhi)
- Daily Gazette, 1921-1931 (English)
Besides, this section has a vast collection of rare periodicals in Sindhi also, i.e. Rissala-e-Zarait (1900), Akhbar-e-Taleem (1901), Madrsah Monthly (1905), Sarswati (1906),Sindhu(1932-47),Nain-Zindagi Mehran (quarterly), monthly Rooh Rehan, monthly Agte Qadem,etc; in English: Journal of Sindh Historical Society, Asiatic Research, Calcutta Review and many more are preserved therein. Catalogue of Sindhi periodicals is published.
6) Manuscripts
Manuscripts are the most important material for any Library. The Research library has 1684 manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Sindhi and English languages. Some very important MSS are as under:-
- Dalla-ul-Khairat (written in golden ink)
Due to its importance the list has been bifurcated in two portions: one is before partition of India and other is after partition published by the Government of Pakistan.
8) Preservation and Conservation Section
It is a cell for preservation and restoration of rare documents and rare material. This cell has a laboratory for testing and dating of paper and equipped with modern machinery and equipments, such as:
- Bench-top Deacidification Unit
- Vacuum Fumigation Chamber
- Conservation Table
- Vacuum Dry Mounting ( Lamination) Press
- Guarding and Filling Frame
This section has preserved rare documents through two methods i.e. traditional or waits repair method (Preservation with French Chiffon silk) and other is dry mounting/ lamination with various coated tissues such as: Crompton coated tissue, lamitic tissue and area bonded fiber.
This section has preserved more than 300 books/ manuscripts and newspapers, some of them are:
- Sind Kossid Newspaper (1854) in English
- Sind Sudhar Newspaper (1878) in Sindhi
- Muffrah-ul-Kuloob Newspaper (1877) in Persian
- M. Billimoria’s letters and Documents of Sindh
- Historical Society.
- Catalogue of the coins (Moin-jo-Daro)
- Maps of Sindh
- Letters and case report of K.B. Muhammad Ayoub
- Shah-Jo-Risalo (Manuscript)
- District Gazetteers of Sindh
- Selection from the pre-mutiny records of Commissionerin Sind ,1847.
- Holy Quran (Manuscript) which was in the personal use of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. It was preserved on the
- Instructions of the then Prime Minister of Pakistan , now a days the same has been displayed at the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.
