Knowledge
12 Libraries In India which are a must visit for every “Bookaholic”!
For all the bibliophiles out there, here is a list of 10 libraries in India with amazing collection to satiate your thirst for reading. They are housed in equally beautiful surroundings.
“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man”
― T.S. Eliot
Libraries do not only spread knowledge, they are the time capsules which conserve historical and rare pieces of literature and work and are actively involved in the conservation and enhancement of the heritage of humanity. Libraries also point people to wider cultural activities, objects, knowledge and sites, and encourage individuals to explore different cultural experiences and to create things themselves.
For all the bibliophiles, out there, here is a list of 12 libraries in India with amazing collection to quench your thirst for reading. They are housed in equally beautiful surroundings.
Allahabad Public Library, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
Allahabad Public Library also known as Government Public Library (and Thornhill Mayne Memorial) is a public library situated at Alfred Park in Allahabad. It is one of the biggest public library in the country with thousands of books, manuscripts, old newspapers and magazine, govt. gazettes etc. in its collections.
It has a collection of about 1.25 lakh books on various subjects. It has rare Arabic manuscripts along with papers of Parliament.
Asiatic Society of Mumbai Library, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Asiatic Society of Bombay Library was started in 1804 by Sir James Mackintosh along with the Literary society of Bombay in those days. This library got a dust free air conditioned laboratory in 1991 to conserve old books and it has one of the most famous rare collection of 20,000 old books among the many libraries of Mumbai.
Connemara Public Library, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Connemara Public Library at Egmore in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, is one of the four National Depository Libraries which receive a copy of all books, newspapers and periodicals published in India.
Established in 1890, the library is a repository of centuries-old publications, wherein lie some of the most respected works and collections in the country. It also serves as a depository library for the UN.
David Sassoon Library, Mumbai, Maharashtra
The David Sassoon Library and Reading Room, the first building to come up at the southern end of the Esplanade, has since its completion in 1870, been a landmark. The building is one of the only 145 old buildings which have been declared as protected monuments by the government.
The library’s best feature, in addition to the design and history, is the leafy garden at the back : perfect for wandering into with a thick book. It houses a large collection of very rare old books.
Krishnadas Shama Central Library, Panaji, Goa
The Krishnadas Shama Central Library (also known as Goa State Central Library) is the oldest Public Library in India. It was established on 15th September 1832 by Vice Roy Dom Manuel de Portugal e Castro as ‘Publica Livraria. The status of Library was raised to that of a National Library on February 15, 1897. It has more than 1.8 lakh books in different languages.
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi, Delhi
The Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) established in the memory of Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 – 1964) is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It is located at Teen Murti Bhawan, that served as the residence of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
The NMML also houses a specialized Library which has been designed and developed as a specific research and reference centre on colonial and post-colonial India with its very rich and varied collection of books, journals, photographs and other resource materials on microfilm and microfiche.
Raza Library, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
The Raza Library located in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, India is a repository of Indo-Islamic cultural heritage and a treasure-house of knowledge established in last decades of 18th century by Nawab Faizullah Khan, and built up by successive Nawabs of Rampur and is now managed by Government of India.
It contains very rare and valuable collection of manuscripts, historical documents, specimens of Islamic calligraphy, miniature paintings, astronomical instruments and rare illustrated works in Arabic and Persian. The collection in the library dates to the royal family’s efforts since the 1700s, and includes 17,000 rare manuscripts, 205 hand-written palm leaves and 5000 miniature paintings.
This library also contains printed works in Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Pashto (having the original manuscript of the first translation of the Qur'an in addition to other important books/documents), Tamil and Turkish, and approximately 30,000 printed books (including periodicals) in various other languages.
Sarasvathi Mahal Library, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu
Sarasvathi Mahal Library is housed within the campus of Thanjavur Palace and had started as a royal library for the Nayak Kings of Thanjavur. It has a rare collection of palm leaf manuscript in various regional languages of India.
It came under the possession of the state of Tamil Nadu in the year 1918. In the year 1998, the library installed computers to computerise library activities and now preserves all the manuscripts in the form of microfilms.
Seshadri Memorial Library, Bangalore, Karnataka
The Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall houses the State Central Library which has a collection of 2,40,093 books and periodicals and is one of the landmarks of Bangalore. This library was set up 1915. If history is what you enjoy then this is exactly where you should be. The building is situated in the midst of a lovely garden that also has a statue of Sir K. Seshadri Iyer. Constructed entirely in red brick and mortar this monument in Bangalore is also a one stop destination for historians and bibliophiles.
State Central Library, Hyderabad, Telangana State
The State Central Library, Hyderabad, better known as the State Central Library (SCL), is a public library in Hyderabad, Telangana. The building was constructed in 1891 by Nawab Imad-ul-Mulk. Formerly known as the Asafia Library, it is one of the most imposing structures in the city and was granted heritage status in 1998 by INTACH, Hyderabad.
The library is located at Afzal Gunj on the bank of the River Musi. It houses 500,000 books and magazines including some rare palm-leaf manuscripts. This library is the apex of the state's library system. The first phase of computerisation and networking in libraries through e-Grandhalaya software developed by National Informatics Centre has begun.
State Central Library, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
State Central Library of Kerala is also known as Trivandrum Public Library is the first public Library in India. The Library was established in the year A.D. 1829 during the reign of King Swathi Thirunal of Travancore. Today, it houses various collections such as a Malayalam section, a reprographic section, a digital library, a children’s library, etc.
The New Heritage Model building within the campus is devoted for Children's library. A multimedia Section is also functioning in this building. The library is also conducting a certificate course in Library and information science.
The National Library of India, Kolkata, West Bengal
The National Library of India is the largest library in the country by volume and India's library of public record. It was established in the year 1836.
It houses 26,41,615 books along with other periodicals, maps, manuscripts etc. and is spread in an area of 30-acres. It was opened to public on February 1, 1953
“Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries.”
― Anne Herbert