New Library in Gandhinagar Offers 65,000 Books at Annual Fee of Rs. 2: Inauguration by Amit Shah on 27th
Gandhinagar’s Sector-21 Government Library is set to gain another distinction. On February 27th, Central Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate it. This library, Ground Plus 5, is a treasure trove of diverse books, reaching a total of 65,000, for Gandhinagar residents and those interested in literature.
A Library for All
This vast library offers reading materials across 65,000 titles, neatly organized into 65 sections, allowing 800 individuals to sit together for reading. It caters to women, men, children, the elderly, and visually impaired individuals with separate sections. Additionally, a Wi-Fi facility is available in the library section, allowing members to set passwords for access.
Online Access and Preparation
Readers can set passwords for computers and access around 4,000 books online. Moreover, efforts are underway to incorporate more books into the software to cater to online readers. The library houses books in three languages – Hindi, English, and Gujarati. It also offers audio facilities for those unable to read using special instruments.
Unique Features
Another unique feature of the library is its Braille section, offering literature in Braille script. Additionally, an e-library provides audio facilities for books, catering to those who prefer listening over reading. It also hosts separate sessions for students preparing for competitive exams, including lectures by subject experts once a month.
Diverse Collection
The library boasts a diverse collection, including literature for competitive exam preparation, novels, biographies, children’s books, books for women, religious texts, history, geography, travel-based books, encyclopedias, and dictionaries. It also includes 20 daily newspapers and 162 periodicals. Before the library’s renovation, it had 10,240 members, which is expected to increase to around 250,000 after the renovation.
Government Library Membership and Facilities
The annual fee for this government library is only two rupees. Individuals who wish to register must become members by submitting a certified coin from a gazetted officer along with the membership form. They are required to deposit forty rupees and pay an annual fee of two rupees, making a total of ten rupees for five years. If a plot is not available for any reason, a deposit of one hundred rupees and an annual fee of ten rupees may also be arranged. This library in Sector 21 is open from 8:00 AM to 12:00 midnight, a total of 16 hours, for readers, while women readers have access from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Benefits and Services of the Library
Once membership is obtained, a member can borrow up to four books at a time under their name. Books can be renewed through the R.F.I.D. system for those unable to return them on time. Mr. Jayarambhai Desai, the chief librarian, stated that it is a matter of pride for all of us that the inauguration of the largest library in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, is underway. The library is scheduled to be inaugurated by the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Amitbhai Shah, on February 27th. He had also requested the citizens of the district to request the government to provide us with a house of knowledge in the form of a government library. The full benefit of this arrangement will be derived from enriching life through reading books.
Exclusive Features of Gujarat’s Only State-of-the-Art Library
Under the Sector 21 Library Startup Knowledge and Free Linking Center project, a construction cost of twenty crore rupees has been incurred. It offers a variety of amenities spread across six floors. The ground floor houses the librarian’s office, assistant librarian’s office, other offices, server room, electrical room, storage room, senior citizen’s room, e-library, visually impaired section, reception, and waiting area. The first floor includes the book borrowing section, children’s section, women’s section, and canteen. The second floor houses the book processing section, reference section, competitive exam section, and research section. Similarly, the third floor consists of the women’s reading section, online exam section, and the fourth floor has the reading section. The fifth floor features a conference hall with a capacity of 200 people. There is an auditorium with a capacity of 50 people, and a small meeting hall for 20 people on the sixth floor. This arrangement increases the seating capacity from 200 to 800 people compared to the old library building. Additionally, basement parking is available, accommodating 20 four-wheelers and 40 two-wheelers.
