Despite this precarious situation
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 6:51 am
The return of the Taliban in August 2021 has exacerbated these challenges, ushering in a new era of heightened censorship. Reports indicate that hundreds of books deemed "un-Islamic" or inconsistent with the Taliban's ideological principles have been removed from shelves, banned from publication, and confiscated from libraries and bookstores. This has further stifled academic freedom and access to diverse knowledge within both public and university libraries. Minority religious texts, in particular, have been targeted for removal from private university libraries.
pockets of resilience and dedication to knowledge persist:
Community and Mobile Libraries: Grassroots initiatives costa rica phone number library and non-profit organizations have emerged to fill critical gaps. Projects like Charmaghz's mobile libraries in Kabul, which utilize converted buses and vans, strive to provide essential access to books, particularly for children and women, creating safe spaces for reading and critical thinking.
Digital Preservation Efforts: The Afghanistan Digital Library, a project by New York University Libraries, is a crucial initiative focused on digitizing and preserving Afghanistan's rich published cultural heritage from earlier periods, making it accessible globally online.
University Libraries: Despite severe resource constraints and the impact of censorship, institutions like Kabul University Library continue to operate, housing significant collections and serving students and researchers as best they can.
While the future of libraries in Afghanistan remains uncertain, these ongoing efforts, both formal and informal, demonstrate a remarkable and persistent commitment to knowledge and literacy in the face of profound adversity.
pockets of resilience and dedication to knowledge persist:
Community and Mobile Libraries: Grassroots initiatives costa rica phone number library and non-profit organizations have emerged to fill critical gaps. Projects like Charmaghz's mobile libraries in Kabul, which utilize converted buses and vans, strive to provide essential access to books, particularly for children and women, creating safe spaces for reading and critical thinking.
Digital Preservation Efforts: The Afghanistan Digital Library, a project by New York University Libraries, is a crucial initiative focused on digitizing and preserving Afghanistan's rich published cultural heritage from earlier periods, making it accessible globally online.
University Libraries: Despite severe resource constraints and the impact of censorship, institutions like Kabul University Library continue to operate, housing significant collections and serving students and researchers as best they can.
While the future of libraries in Afghanistan remains uncertain, these ongoing efforts, both formal and informal, demonstrate a remarkable and persistent commitment to knowledge and literacy in the face of profound adversity.