Library registration

How to Register Your Library in PakCat

Follow this guide to add your library’s collection to Pakistan’s Union Catalogue and join PakCat’s growing network of participating institutions.

Contact the Principal Librarian

What is PakCat?

PakCat is Pakistan’s Union Catalogue — a single platform for searching the holdings of every participating library. By joining, your institution helps build a stronger, more connected network for resource discovery and inter-library collaboration across the country.

Who Can Register?

University libraries
College libraries
Science and technology libraries
Research and development libraries
Government and institutional libraries
Public and special libraries

Benefits of Joining PakCat

Give your collection national visibility among students, researchers, and fellow libraries
Help researchers and scholars discover material held at your institution
Take part in inter-library resource sharing and reduce duplicate acquisitions
Connect with science, technology, research, and university libraries nationwide
Strengthen your cataloguing practices and library service standards
Join the PASTIC Library Consortium and its national support network

How to Add Your Library to PakCat

Libraries that are part of the Pakistan Library Consortium are added to PakCat automatically as part of their membership. If your library is not yet a consortium member, follow the steps below to register directly.

Already a consortium member? No action needed — your catalogue is added to PakCat automatically as part of your membership.

Registration Process

If your library is not yet part of the consortium, follow these steps to get added:

  1. Enable Z39.50 Protocol

    Enable the Z39.50 protocol on your library system — this is required for your collection to be searchable on PakCat.

    How to enable Z39.50 (Koha 23 guide)

  2. Check Z39.50 Status

    Use the Z39.50 Checker Tool to confirm your server is reachable. Enter your library’s IP address or hostname and its Z39.50 port, then click Check.

    Open the Z39.50 Checker Tool

  3. Submit Your Library

    Once your server shows as reachable, complete the Add Library form with accurate details and submit it for review.

    Go to the Add Library form

  4. Automatic Addition

    Once your submission is verified, your library is added to PakCat automatically and your collection becomes searchable across the platform.

Download the full SOP / User Manual (PDF)

Tips

Confirm your Z39.50 server is publicly accessible and not blocked by a firewall.
Double-check the port number before testing — the Z39.50 default is usually 210.
Running into issues with the checker tool or your submission? Contact our support team — we’re happy to help.

Information You May Need

Official institution name
Library name and type
Postal address
Contact person
Official phone number
Official email address
Approximate collection size
Current library management system
Availability of digital catalogue records