Before the wars there were six libraries in the capital city of Kabul and six provincial libraries.

Three of the six libraries in Kabul were totally destroyed and their collections dispersed. One is currently closed pending repairs and two others - Kabul Central Library at Malik Ashgar Crossroads and Khairkhona Library in the north west of the city – are open to the public.

The six provincial libraries are in various states of disrepair. Those in Herat and Mazar e Sharif are now once more functional but need new books. The others require assistance to repair their buildings as well as improving their collections.

Significantly, having been recruited from other fields, none of the staff currently working in Afghanistan’s libraries has received professional training in librarianship.

Use the navigation bar on the left to read more about the two main libraries in Afghanistan or make direct contact with organisations and individuals working in this sector through our KEY CONTACTS database.