Libraries and the Modern World!

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah not only possessed mastery over the knowledge of law, but he was also an expert in the art of speech. His speeches in the Legislative Assembly have no equal in language, expression, and arguments. From which books did the Quaid-e-Azam acquire this knowledge? Not much extensive research has been done on this, but in Sheila Reddy’s book Mr. and Mrs. Jinnah, there is mention of Cicero’s books present in Jinnah’s personal Mumbai home library. Cicero was Rome’s famous lawyer, intellectual, and orator. Jinnah Sahib not only studied Cicero’s sayings but had also marked many of them. A very famous saying of Cicero — the favorite philosopher of our national father — is: “If you have a library and a small garden, you lack nothing in this world.” Some philosophers, using similar words, say that if you have a library and a garden, then you are the resident of paradise. Another philosopher says that paradise must resemble a library. Because of the treasures contained within libraries, they are given a status similar to paradise. Someone has beautifully said, “If there are no libraries, then we have neither a past nor a future.”

Libraries have remained my favorite place of refuge. Whether I was a student at FC College Lahore or later an English teacher for a decade, my resting place would always be the Ewing Library. I loved to let the fragrance of the library refresh my mind while coming and going. Visiting libraries, spending time there, and benefiting from books is both my passion and my weakness. It is my passion because I am well aware of my own limited knowledge and narrow vision—so to remove this shortage or thirst, making books a passion was necessary. And it is my weakness because if I do not read new books, I cannot write; it feels as if the mind is completely empty.

For the past many months, my scholarly Gujarati friend, Kashif Manzoor Sahib, Director General Libraries, has repeatedly reminded me that attention must be drawn—of the government, the public, and thinkers—towards libraries. Libraries are established all across Punjab in general and Lahore in particular, but they do not receive adequate funds. The beautiful hall of the Quaid-e-Azam Library in Bagh-e-Jinnah exists, but its central historic hall needs renovation like that of the Walled City, so that this oldest and most beautiful hall of Lahore may remain ever-ready for important events. Libraries are not provided the funding necessary for buying new books and expanding their space. The Government of Punjab is focused on the promotion of knowledge, intellect, and culture; therefore, there is a need to activate this sector.

All the knowledge present in today’s world has come from books, and it can only be furthered through books. After the arrival of the internet and social media, whispers began about the future of books. In my humble view, the forms of media and books have continued to change and will continue to change, but books will remain the treasure of knowledge and media will remain the source of information. The beginning of books did not start from writings or carvings on leaves and stones; before that, knowledge and information were preserved by engraving them with the blood of the heart into the mind. Memorizing religious books is a matter of sanctity and duty, but many among us have also repeatedly met those who are memorizers of Diwan-e-Ghalib and who know the verses of Heer Ranjha by heart. After the memory came the turn of leaves, stones, and then papers. Now digital and archival memories exist for storage, so the useful information available on social media today is in fact today’s books and booklets.

I remember that in a time when the rotating, corded black telephones existed, we often remembered phone numbers by heart. Now the phone directory inside mobile phones has eliminated the need to memorize numbers. It means that now the new digital books will reach us through our phones, computers, or upcoming inventions.

Many people ask whether, in the presence of ChatGPT, Google, and new platforms of artificial intelligence, libraries, books, and reading are needed in the same way as in the past, or whether new technology has ended this need. First, one must remember that the very changes occurring in modern technology also originate from books and libraries. The new data centers—worth billions of dollars—being built for AI storage are, in fact, encyclopedias for the world of books, which will be available to every person through digital technology.

But one must also remember: just as basic knowledge is necessary to read or understand a book, dictionary, or encyclopedia, similarly, before extracting knowledge through artificial intelligence, fundamental knowledge of books and libraries is essential. And also remember that even if the entire knowledge of books could be transferred into artificial intelligence, this work would take at least half a century. Meaning, for the next fifty years, traditional books, libraries, and encyclopedias will remain necessary.

Digital technology and artificial intelligence may possibly change the outer form and appearance of the book—compressing it into a point or a button—but the content inside the book, the freshness of the new information within it, and its importance will remain the same. To receive correct and authentic information through artificial intelligence, the question must be correct—just as to know the essence of a book, reading it is essential.

The desire of our Kashif Manzoor and book-lovers like him is that for an educated and enlightened society, the promotion of libraries is needed even today and will be needed in the future. We must provide existing libraries with facilities that meet modern global standards. In major bookstores of the UK and the US, coffee houses are now built inside. If space allows, plants and flowers are visible through the windows and doors of reading rooms, so that the environment does not feel heavy. Many people say that this is the last century of books, but is it the last century of knowledge? When the world has to advance through knowledge and technology, then regardless of what name, form, or structure the book may take—whether it remains in the form of sound, appears as an image, or arrives in some color of words—the foundation of knowledge and information will remain the same.

History shows that when the machine arrived, a comparison between man and machine began, and it was said that man is finished—now machines will rule. Now, when the contest is between artificial intelligence and human intelligence, it is said that AI will devour all traditional knowledge and technology. But experience shows that neither machines could defeat humans, nor will artificial intelligence overpower human intelligence.

Books, knowledge, and technology possess the ability to face every trial and reward. Therefore, read and write books without fear, build libraries, and benefit from them. Artificial intelligence will only help us in the promotion of books and in reading.