The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) Library is located on the Stadium Road campus of The Aga Khan University (AKU) in Karachi, near the Dean of the Medical College office. It supports AKU's education, research, and clinical practice in medical, nursing, and allied health sciences. Highly skilled
professionals who are dedicated to customer service manage the library. It is considered one of Pakistan's best health sciences libraries in terms of collection, facilities, and services.
The FHS Library has a collection of over 28,000
print books. In addition to its health Sciences collection, it holds over 8,000 books for general reading, including topics such as history, social sciences, humanities, literature, and religion. Every year, the library weeds out outdated books from its collection and replaces them with the latest editions. Additionally, the library maintains a collection of 7,000 issues of print journals. It is a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) libraries network and houses a collection of WHO publications.
The library has transformed its services to provide access to online and digital resources, currently subscribing to 25
e-databases that offer access to over 8,000 online journals and 245,000
e-books. Additionally, remote or
off-campus access to these resources is available through OpenAthens.
The library consists of two sections located opposite each other: the Jivraj Health Sciences Library and the Kurji Periodicals Library.
On the ground floor of the Jivraj Health Sciences Library, you will find the Circulation Desk, the Reference Desk, and display racks featuring current issues of print journals and newly arrived books. This floor also houses collections related to Nursing, Basic Sciences, and Reference materials.
The basement of Jivraj Health Sciences Library contains Clinical Sciences books, general reading materials, WHO publications, and theses. Additionally, it comprises of Associate Librarians's offices, a workroom, and learning commons for information literacy sessions.
The Kurji Periodicals Library includes a Reception Desk, the office of the Senior Librarian, a collection of print periodicals, and a research cubicle. It also serves as a 24-hour open reading area.
The FHS Library provides 17 personal computers and 47 laptops for use on-site, facilitating easy access to online resources. Spanning a total area of 14,034 square feet, the library can accommodate up to 307 readers, including 164 individual study carrels each equipped with lighting and charging sockets for electronic devices. For collaborative work and group study, the
Digital Scholarship Centre-Teaching & Learning Commons and the
University Centre (see facilities) have rooms with LED screens for multimedia presentations. Furthermore, the library is centrally air-conditioned and provides fast and stable LAN and Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, ensuring seamless access to online resources.