5,000 books, 1 cr e-books: Delhi gets a tech-enabled public library

3 min readJul 12, 2026 08:35 AM IST

Delhi's Jayaprakash Narayan Public Library opens with 35,000 books, access to nearly one crore e-books, RFID self-issue kiosks, facial recognition membership and dedicated spaces for students and researchers. (ANI Photo)

From shelves spread over two floors lined with 35,000 books, quiet study corners and digital access to nearly one crore e-books — the Jayaprakash Narayan Public Library, inaugurated on Saturday on Udyan Marg in Delhi under NDMC —brings together the charm of traditional libraries and the convenience of modern technology under one roof.

The library, inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is home to books on science, mathematics, Indian history, Hindi literature, geography, agriculture and competitive examinations.

With blue-coloured cushioned chairs and glass screens that act as a divide between two readers, one can seat on either of the floors and read. It also features a children’s zone, research rooms, a contemporary reading area and an e-library equipped with computer terminals.

Inaugurating the library, Shah said, “While one should always think before speaking, one must first read in order to know what to think — and such understanding can only be gained through a library.”

Referring to a similar initiative undertaken in his Lok Sabha constituency of Gandhinagar, he said that nearly every village there has a library with 3,000-4,000 books connected to a central library housing more than 1.25 lakh books.

Maintaining that reading enables people to develop informed opinions, he urged the Delhi government to prepare a plan to interconnect libraries and link them with schools.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who was present at the inauguration, said the library would serve as a valuable resource for the youth and students. “Aspirants preparing for the UPSC and other competitive examinations will benefit from its conducive academic environment and state-of-the-art study facilities… this would inspire and empower Delhi’s youth,” she added.

NDMC Director of Welfare department, Anjum Siddiqui, said the library requires minimal manual intervention. “This is a public library and anyone can come here. Visitors can register for membership and issue books using facial recognition. RFID-tagged books can be self-issued by tapping them at a kiosk,” she said.

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Membership costs Rs 500 annually. A lifetime security deposit of Rs 1,000 is charged for NDMC residents and Rs 2,000 for non-residents.

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