Request
a Library

Knowledge is power. Let’s create a
space where everyone can access it.

Libraries Libraries

Who Can Apply?

Our libraries are secular, democratic spaces that welcome diverse perspectives. We seek communities that value their library and actively contribute to its success. Anyone can apply, but libraries must remain public and open to all, not controlled by private individuals or institutions.

Communities eager to support and sustain their library.
Underserved areas needing spaces to learn and gather.
Villages where gender, faith, or background never limit access.

What We Provide

A library is a shared effort—here’s what we bring to the partnership:

Library Building and Infrastructure

We will lead the library construction process, providing expert contractors, safe designs, flood-risk assessments, and essential materials like steel and electrical. Our libraries are designed to be secure, durable, and long-lasting.

Reliable Solar Power and Internet

We will provide solar power, backup generators, and public internet to keep libraries well-lit and running, ensuring uninterrupted learning and connectivity.

Interior and Exterior Furnishings

We will design a welcoming library space that blends traditional Chitrali aesthetics with modern comforts. We provide furniture, a full café, and essential gadgets, creating inclusive indoor and outdoor gathering areas with input from your local Village Action Committee.

Books and Digital Learning Tools

We will work with our partners to outfit your library with a wide range of books for all ages and interests, collaborating with your Village Action Committee to highlight subjects most valuable to your community. Your library will also be a key part of the growing Chitral Rising learning ecosystem, giving patrons full access to its resources and opportunities while encouraging them to contribute.

Library Staff and Volunteer Training

Your library will be part of the larger Chitral Rising network, with access to our partners and volunteer community. We’ll help train an inclusive staff, ensuring both men and women are equipped with essential library skills and ongoing learning opportunities. You’ll also be connected with local and international volunteers to support your library, community, and programs.

Ongoing Support and Oversight

We stay closely involved in the financial and administrative aspects of your library, ensuring transparency and accountability to sustain funding. Your village action committee will prioritize community needs, and we’ll be here every step of the way to provide guidance and support.

Collaborative Events and Program Planning

Your library will be a hub for learning, collaboration, and growth. We’ll help coordinate and promote events like health clinics, workshops, talks, debates, and cultural programs. Patrons will also gain access to the Chitral Rising app, connecting with people across Chitral to learn, develop skills, and build businesses through our library network.

On-Sight Guesthouse

Every library includes a small guesthouse to host flood relief workers, physicians, volunteers, and travelers who come to share their skills. This space enriches library programs and supports its operations.

What We Ask From You

A library thrives when its community actively builds, supports, and sustains it. We ask each village to take four key actions to ensure its long-term success:

Provide land for the library.

We ask our village partners to provide a secure, flood-safe plot of land where we can build. The land must be easily accessible to the public, not too secluded, and positioned as a true communal space. This ensures the library remains an open and welcoming resource for all.

Establish a Village Action Committee.

Each village must form a diverse Village Action Committee, including women and varied community voices. This means including women, as well as voices from different ethnic or social groups if present. This committee will act as a transparent liaison with Chitral Rising, ensuring the library’s accountability, sustainability, and impact.

Volunteer support and local materials.

We ask each village to contribute locally available materials—such as wood and stones—that will be used in construction. We also seek volunteers to help prepare the site, secure materials, and assist our team in the early stages of building. Your involvement ensures the library is built with local hands and resources, making it truly a part of your community.

Honor and uphold the library's purpose.

We ask villages to take full ownership of their library, ensuring it remains active, well-maintained, and a space that truly serves everyone. This means upholding its purpose as an open, inclusive place for learning, connection, and growth. When the whole community embraces the library as its own, it becomes a lasting and transformative part of village life.

Can You Uphold Our Mission?

We only build libraries in communities where we are confident our values will be protected—not just in words, but in daily practice. These spaces are meant to be safe, democratic, and welcoming to all.

Before we agree to build a library, we ask one fundamental question: Can your community uphold the spirit of openness, equity, and intellectual freedom that defines our mission?

Our libraries do not allow censorship, discrimination, or control by any one individual or group. While we comply with Pakistani law regarding illicit content, we do not permit local or personal beliefs to restrict what others may read, discuss, or explore. This includes:

  • No censorship based on gender, belief, or background
  • No shaming of women or girls for participating in public or intellectual life
  • No prejudice toward religious, ethnic, or other minority groups
  • No gatekeeping of knowledge or access

These are progressive, pluralistic spaces—designed for people to learn, unlearn, and grow freely.

Before a library opens, a detailed agreement will be signed by community representatives. If that contract is violated, the right to oversee the library will be revoked, and legal action will be pursued if necessary. We take this responsibility seriously, and we expect our partners to do the same.

If your village dreams of a library, we’re ready to dream with you.
Claire Stephens Founder & Director
Chitral’s strength is in its people, and libraries help turn that strength into opportunity.
Anwar Khan Founder & Director
The journey to knowledge begins with a single step—let’s take it together.
Akhtar Ali Director

What Happens Next?

We dream of building a library in every village that wants one. As we grow, we are thoughtfully expanding to ensure each library creates the greatest impact and strengthens our mission. To do this, we prioritize villages where a library will serve the most people and complement our existing initiatives. After you submit a request, here’s what happens:

We review your village’s request and its community impact.
Our team visits to assess potential and local support.
Selected villages begin partnerships and library planning.

Is your village ready for a library? Start the process by filling out a request.

Get started here! Get started here!