ARIC provides the most comprehensive collection of materials related to Afghanistan in the region. A variety of Western and Afghan languages are represented. Sixty-one percent of the collection is in English, 39% in Dari and Pashtu. Other languages include French, German, Swedish, Arabic and Urdu.

ARIC aims to collect documents generated by all members of the NGO community and from the UN system working for Afghanistan. It then disseminates information about these materials throughout the aid community and to interested parties in Pakistan and abroad, including donors and academic institutions.

Specific subjects include analytical and descriptive writings on health, education, agriculture, veterinary sciences and animal husbandry, women, children, law, music, folklore and archaeology, history, political science, monuments, literature, language and other aspects of cultural heritage.

The ARIC map section currently holds some 500 different sorts of maps. These include 1:250,000, 1:100,000, 1:50,000 scale maps, satellite and land cover maps. Regional and thematic maps produced by agencies are also available.

The ARIC Archive section lists documents describing development projects and other studies undertaken in Afghanistan before 1990.

ARIC is also the depository for the minutes of ACBAR sectoral and regional meetings.

Readers at ARIC may also use the SPACH (Society for the Preservation of Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage) Photo Catalogue of Historical Sites, Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Artifacts, as well as its specialized collection on archaeology and historical sites and monuments.

All materials are catalogued according to international standards and classified according to ARIC’s specialized system using Library of Congress subject headings.

Each document is provided with a call number for easy retrieval from the stacks and to facilitate the placement of orders.

Reading Room. The ARIC staff assists readers in selecting and locating documents.

ARIC Bibliographic Database. A computer is provided for readers, in addition to hard copy volumes for Western and Afghan Languages. The purpose of this bibliography is to provide readers with a quick reference. Documents may be searched alphabetically by author, subject, organization or title. Separate lists of videocassettes, maps, journals and posters are also available.

ARIC Bibliographic Database on CD-ROM. The ARIC Bibliography is also available on CD-ROM. This easy-to-use database developed by ARIC lists 8,200 documents as of September 1999. This is particularly useful to readers residing abroad. Orders using assigned call numbers may be sent to ARIC.

ARIC BULLETIN.  Materials acquired each month is listed by category in the ARIC BULLETIN. The ARIC BULLETIN is distributed to over 500 agencies, government offices, academic institutions and individuals in Pakistan and abroad. Orders from the Bulletin listings may be requested.

Location Maps of Agencies and Offices offering services to Afghans. The ARIC staff has produced four maps showing the location of all offices concerned with Afghanistan in Peshawar. with address and telephone numbers these cover University Town, Hayatabad, Peshawar City, Board, and the Rahatabad areas. Updates are produced every year. These are distributed free.

Printouts. Printouts of works held at ARIC may be obtained for authors, subjects, or organization.

Photocopying. All texts, maps, and other materials may be photocopied at ARIC. Charges depend on number of pages and size of paper.

ARIC extended its services inside Afghanistan in 1996. By 1999 there were 31 mobile libraries operating in 22 out of 32 provinces, with a total of some 10,000 books. Other agencies following the ABLE model have also placed libraries in villages, district centers and provincial capitals. The number grows steadily and there are now some 400 libraries spread throughout Afghanistan.

The subjects range from technical works on health, including mother-child care, to agriculture and animal welfare; Islam; history, poetry and literature toy making and a variety of vocational subjects such as carpentry and masonry. The aim is not only to provide instructional materials but also to spread the word that reading is entertaining.

The ABLE libraries are updated periodically. Some of the ABLE libraries have upwards of 500 documents in their collections.

Users include students, teachers, technicians, local government and NGO officials, farmers, displaced intellectuals and and increasing number of females professionals and housewives.

Books for ABLE are obtained from NGOs and UN agencies and purchased in the bazaar. Some documents are photocopied from the ARIC collection. ABLE Publications publishes its own books on subjects not available from these sources.