Publications

Library Upkeep

How to organise, label and catalogue a Jama'at library.

Publications

If your chapter has a library, the chapter president should appoint a librarian, who can be the local Secretary Isha’at. The library can be given a name.

Sort the collection

  1. Reference: items that stay in the library and are not lent out, usually books that would be hard to replace.
  2. Circulation: items members may borrow and take home, books that can be replaced if lost.
  3. Free: items visitors may keep.

Look after it

  • Keep reference and circulation items under lock and key.
  • Catalogue every reference and circulation item.
  • Put a label with the library’s name inside the cover of each reference and circulation item, on an empty space.

Arrange the shelves

Shelve books by language: English and Urdu separately, other languages together. Within each language, in this order:

  1. The Holy Qur’an and books about it.
  2. Hadith, Sirah and related books.
  3. Books written before Ahmadiyyat.
  4. Ruhani Khaza’in and Malfuzat.
  5. Books of the Khulafa of Ahmadiyyat.
  6. Other books.

Please send a copy of your catalogue to the National Secretary Publications. The national office then knows where every title is held across the USA, so a researcher who needs a particular book can be pointed to it.

Updated October 8, 2026