About the Library
The Ewing Memorial Library was built in 1943 and named for Dr. Sir J.C.R. Ewing, the second Principal of the College. The library has been one of the oldest and best college libraries in Lahore and now gradually transforming itself into a state-of-the-art University Library. Currently it has a seating capacity for 250 students and an air conditioned reading hall.
There are more than 100,000 books and the collection is growing monthly with the addition of new books and new on-line Internet services. All books can be easily found using the Online Public Access Catalog.
Required books can be borrowed by students, faculty and staff and the reference materials, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and atlases can be consulted in the Library Reference Room.
There are special collections in specific disciplines such as Botany, Economics, Mathematics, Political Science, and Urdu. Access to the Internet is available through the Internet Access Terminals in the Library Hall.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided a special grant for the development of the library collections as well as services. A modern library automation system named VIRTUA has been provided to automate the various Library operations and services.
20 new journals have been added this year, to the Library’s collection.
A free computer print-out service is available for students using the Internet Access Terminals in the Library.
Hours of Opening
Monday to Friday: 08:00 a.m. to 06:00p.m.
Saturday: 09:00 a.m. to o2 p.m.
Contact Library
Phone: (92-42) 9231581-88 Ext: 325
E-mail: fcclibrary@gmail.com
Books Collection
The Ewing Memorial Library contains a rich collection more than 100,000 books and the collection is growing monthly with the addition of new books and new on-line Internet services. All books can be easily found by using the Online Public Access Catalog and the Signs and Guides system to locate the required books on Library Shelves using the Call Numbers of books given in the Catalog and written on Spine Labels of each Book. The Library is using a standard shelving system using Call Numbers based on the Dewey Decimal Classification System which is an International book organization standard.
The collection organization starts from the Ground Floor (Level – 1) and extends to Ist Floor (Level – 2) and IInd Floor (Level – 3) of the Library in a consecutive order prominently displaying various sections holding specialized subject areas within the arrangement. An elaborate system of signs and guides directs the readers coming to the Library towards their relevant subject areas or the required books using the shelf guides and spine labels. Following is a brief guide to locate various subject areas within the Library.
Level-1
Reference Collection
Computer Studies
Journalism
Psychology
English Literature and Language
Level 2
Religion
Social Sciences
Science and Technology
Arts
Level 3
History
Urdu Language and Literature
Magazines and Newspapers
Magazines
Time – Weekly
News Week – Weekly
London Economist – Weekly
Spider – Weekly
National Geographic – Monthly
Readers Digest – Asian Edition – Monthly
Readers Digest – International Edition – Monthly
Urdu Digest – Monthly
Newspapers
The News – English
Jang – Urdu
Nawai-e-Waqat – Urdu
Pakistan – Urdu
Khabrain – Urdu
Din – Urdu
The Nation – English
Dawn – English
Daily Time – English
Books Loan Procedure
Consultation of Ewing Memorial Library’s information resources within the library premises is open to all. Book loans, are available only to the Faculty and students of the Forman Christian College – A Charted Unversity.
Other users, may use our Photocopy Service for getting parts or pages of books as permitted by the Govt. of Pakistan’s copyright law.
Following general rules should kindly be observed by LIBRARY MEMBERS eligible for book loans:
- Members catagories and lending rights are clearly defined in the Book Loans Procedure below. Please Check your lending rights.
- The loans may be renewed for further one loan period if the desired book has not been reserved for another user. Overdue books will not be reissued.
- Reference material, articles, periodicals and newspapers can not be checked out but can be consulted within the library premises. In special cases, these items can be borrowed for brief period of time or overnight (faculty only).
- Bound volumes of periodicals are not to be issued. However, reproduction facility is available, where ever copyright regulations permit.
- If the required book has already been checked out by some other user, the user can request to reserve it on return. On return of the reserve book, the library will inform the requester to collect the book. However, if the book is not collected within two days, the reservation would be considered cancelled.
- Please return all those books that you no longer need so that others may have a chance at them.
- If you accidentally mislay a book and cannot find it after a thorough search, report this fact to the Library immediately for proper action and/or record changes.
- Mutilation of library materials should be avoided. However, books accidentally damaged should be reported promptly so that suitable assessments can be made and damages paid.
Book Loans Procedure
- Eligibility
The following will be entitled to use the library facility:- Faculty members and the college staff
- Students
- Visiting Faculty
- Special Membership
- Casual readers with the special permission of the Chief Librarian and subject to the library rules
- Membership
The faculty members on appointment can just apply for the membership on a prescribed form while students have to produce the college ID card along with photographs to become a member.
All registered users are entitled to borrow materials from the library. Borrowing privileges may differ depending on the membership category. - Book Borrowing Procedure
- Presentation of a valid library card is a must for any checkout at the circulation desk.
- Loan may be renewed for 14 days if another user has not reserved the desired book. Overdue books will not be renewed.
- Books already checked-out by some other user can be reserved. You can also request for reserve the book using request slip.
- Reference material, CD-ROMs, annual reports, pamphlets, current and bound periodicals, EIP (industrial research) reports, and newspapers cannot be checked-out. They can only be consulted within the library premises. (But with the special permission of Chief Librarian)
- Library material borrowed by any member is subject to recall if needed by the library.
- Fine
To encourage timely return of library materials and to provide optimal sharing of the collections, fines are charged for overdue items. Borrowers are responsible for returning or renewing items by the due date. If items are not returned within the due date, fines become retroactive to the first overdue day, 2 rupees. - Lost and Damage Books
In case of loss or damage, the student will have to replace the book. - Course Reserve
This material is issued for in-house only. If the material is not returned within the allocated time, a fine of Rs.50/- for each extra hour will be charged.
User Services
In-Person Visitors
The Ewing Memorial Library Library exists with the purpose of providing information support to the faculty, students and researchers of the Forman Christian College – A Chartered University. The collections have been built and services have been designed especially to fulfil the information needs of the registered members only.
However, we also welcome the visiting researchers and students who wish to use our collections or the online resources, for reference purposes. Permission of the University authorities is necessary for non-members visiting the Ewing Memorial Library. The following services and facilities are available for persons visiting the Library:
Online Catalogue
Relevant and comprehensive search results are available from our library’s Online Catalogue. The Online searches may be done while visiting the Library , or one can save time and effort by searching online catalog before coming to the Library to see if the relevant information is available in the Library.
Access to the Collections
The print materials are available on the open shelves. The Online Databases are available on Internet Access Terminals and Journals, Magazines and Newspapers are displayed in the main Hall. A well equipped Reference Room hold Encyclopedia, Dictionaries, Atlases and other Refrence books are available for ready reference consultation.
Reading Rooms
Visitors may stay in the Library Reading Rooms up to 06:00 pm to read the books, magazines and newspapers or consult the online resources through Internet Access Terminals.
Internet Access Terminals for Public
In order to facilitate access to the extensive online information resources, we offer free Internet Access Terminals to the persons visiting the Library. Users of this service can:
- Make Internet Searches to retrieve information on Web Sites.
- Access the Online Statistical Databases and Full-text document repositories.
- Search the Ewing Memorial Library Catalog.
After consultation of electronic and Internet based resources, the required information and data may be sent to a network printer in the Library Hall or sent to an e-mail address or downloaded on external storage media.
The Book Loans Service
Book loans, are available to the members only as permissible by the Book Loans Procedure.
Reference and Readers’ Enquiry Service
Research advice and practical help is available to the visitors, from our knowledgeable and experienced library staff.
The Inter-Library Loans Service
In order to fulfil the diverse information needs of our Library users, we strive to exploit the extensive resources available in the other libraries in Islamabad. Interlibrary loan links have beenestablished with renowned libraries of Lahore and required information items are borrowed from these libraries for our users.
The Photo Copying Service
The registered members of the Ewing Memorial Library can make use of the Library’s photocopying machine for making copies of limited number pages for theeir personal use only. Making cover-to-cover copies is a violation of the copyright Law.
Online Users
The collections and services of the Ewing Memorial Library may as well be exploited anytime, anywhere, without having to visiting it personally.
Our electronic outreach offers online search and electronic reference services to make the library accessible anytime anywhere. These services not only facilitate access but also save time and effort for the Faculty and staff, by providing maximum possible information on their desktop through the following online services:
Access to the Collection
Online Catalogue Search may be conducted anytime from anywhere to check availability of the required books.
Information Inquiring
Reference enquiries may be made through E-mail or over phone in order to save time. Our Refence Desk answers all such enquiries equally efficiently.
Electronic Documents Delivery
In case the information enquired online is available in electronic format, the relevant documents may be sent to the user through e-mail attachments.
Current Awareness Bulletin
Information about New Books, Fresh Arrivals in the Library and Cotents of the newly received journals are circulated through e-mail in order to keep the library users informed of the new developments in their subject areas.
Our Online Information Resources
HEC Digital Library Resources and other online databases may be consulted online from anywhere on the University Campus.