New Delhi: New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) opened the doors of Jayaprakash Narayan Public Library, its first fully digital library with automated book issue and return services, Saturday. The three-storey facility houses over 32,000 physical books on various subjects and offers free access to an e-library with nearly one crore digital books.The library at Mandir Marg, inaugurated by Union home minister Amit Shah, includes an auditorium, research centre, contemporary reading hall, children’s section with around 500 books and a multipurpose hall, and digital workstations. Visitors can access free Wi-Fi and search resources, download study material and conduct research.Explaining why the library was named after freedom fighter and social reformer Jayaprakash Narayan, NDMC chairman Keshav Chandra recalled the famous lines penned by poet Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’ after Jayaprakash’s release from prison in 1946: ‘Hai ‘Jayaprakash’ vah naam jise, itihaas samaadar deta hai; badh kar jiske padchihnon ko, ur par ankit kar leta hai“. He inspired generations of thinkers and writers, including Dinkar, said Chandra.The library has dedicated corners showcasing his life and legacy, while the first floor also features the literary contributions of Dinkar and Munshi Premchand. The collection includes Hindi and English literature, poetry, theatre, religion and books for competitive examinations. The children’s section has the complete Harry Potter series.Shah described Jayaprakash Narayan as a visionary thinker and revolutionary who embraced diverse ideologies. “I am thankful to the council for inviting me to inaugurate a library named after Jayaprakash,” he said.The event was also attended by chief minister Rekha Gupta, PWD minister Parvesh Verma, NDMC vice-chairman Kuljeet Chahal and other members. Shah urged Delhi govt to prepare a comprehensive plan to interconnect libraries across the city and link them with schools. He requested the library staff to reach out to schools in the 10 assembly constituencies around New Delhi. “Once young people develop the habit of reading, they continue it on their own.”Sharing an example from his parliamentary constituency, Shah said libraries had been established in almost every village, each housing 3,000-4,000 books and linked to a central library with more than 1.3 lakh books. Four mobile library vans deliver requested books to villages every Friday.Encouraging students to read books on subjects of their interest, Shah said they should read the works of eminent personalities who devoted their lives to those fields.The library is equipped with an RFID-based book management system integrated with National Digital Library of India (NDLI) through Online Public Access Catalogue. NDMC has also arranged online access to several popular titles beyond the NDLI collection.NDMC welfare director Anjum Siddiqui said the library was open to all visitors free of charge. Membership will be required to borrow books and use certain facilities. Initially, memberships will be offered to 500 people on a first-come, first-served basis to avoid crowding.
