Editing National Library of India

{{Short description|Largest library of India in Kolkata}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox library
| name = National Library of India
| logo = <!-- file name only (no Image: or File:) -->
| logo_size = 
| logo_alt = 
| image = National Library, Calcutta 2007.jpg
| image_size = 270px
| alt = 
| caption = [[Façade]] of the National Library of India
| country = India
| type = [[National library]]
| scope = 
| established = {{Start date and age|1836|df=y}} (as ''Calcutta Public Library'') <br /> {{Start date and age|1903|01|30|df=y}} (as ''Imperial Library'') <br />{{Start date and age|1953|02|01|df=y|paren=yes}} (as National Library of India)
| ref_legal_mandate = 
| location = [[Belvedere Estate]], [[Kolkata]], West Bengal
| coordinates = {{coord|22.533206|88.333318|format=dms|type:landmark_region:IN-WB|display=title,inline}}
| branch_of = 
| num_branches = 
| items_collected = [[book]]s, [[Academic journal|journals]], [[newspaper]]s, [[magazine]]s, [[sound recording|sound and music recordings]], [[patent]]s, [[database]]s, [[map]]s, [[Postage stamp|stamp]]s, [[Printmaking|prints]], [[drawing]]s and [[manuscript]]s
| collection_size = 2.5M
| criteria = 
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| req_to_access = 
| annual_circulation = 
| pop_served = 
| members = 
| budget = {{INRConvert|74|c}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indiaculture.gov.in/sites/default/files/pdf/DDG_23-24_(Final)_05042023.pdf|title=India Ministry of Culture Budget: National Library}}</ref>
| director = Ajay Pratap Singh<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/National-Library-in-Kolkata-facing-acute-staff-shortage/article14491895.ece|title=National Library in Kolkata facing acute staff shortage| newspaper = [[The Hindu]] | date = 16 July 2016|last1=Das|first1=Soumya}}</ref>
| num_employees = 
| parent_organization = [[Government of India]]
| affiliation = [[Ministry of Culture (India)|Ministry of Culture]]
| website = [https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/ nationallibrary.gov.in]
| references = 
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}}

The '''National Library of India''' is a library located in the [[Belvedere Estate]], [[Alipore]], [[Kolkata]], India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = http://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/nat_lib_stat/useful_info.html|title = Useful Information|website = National Library|ref = nlinfo}}</ref> It is India's largest library by volume and [[public record]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thecolorsofindia.com/interesting-facts/miscellaneous/largest-library-in-india.html|title=Largest Library in India – National Library Kolkata|website=thecolorsofindia.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://education.oneindia.in/news/2011/12/16/progress-to-be-made-in-the-national-library-kolkata.html|title=Progress To Be Made in National Library, Kolkata|date=16 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/cdnlao/newsletter/047/473.html |title=Digitization of Manuscripts of the National Library of India, CDNLAO Newsletter 47 |access-date=1 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407064259/http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/cdnlao/newsletter/047/473.html |archive-date=7 April 2014 }}</ref> The National Library is under [[Ministry of Culture (India)|Ministry of Culture]], Government of India. The library is designated to collect, disseminate and preserve printed material produced within India. With a collection in excess of 2.5 million books and records, it is the largest in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kolkata.clickindia.com/tourism/nationallibrary.html |title=National Library Kolkata – National Public Library – Book Library of Kolkata – My CityPedia |access-date=1 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407083037/http://kolkata.clickindia.com/tourism/nationallibrary.html |archive-date=7 April 2014 }}</ref>

== The Imperial Library ==
The Imperial Library was formed in 1891 by combining a number of Secretariat libraries in Calcutta. Of those, the most important and interesting was the library of the [[Department of Home and Confidential|Home Department]], which contained many books formerly belonging to the library of [[East India College]], Fort William and the library of the East India Board in London. But, the use of the library was restricted to the superior officers of the Government.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/nat_lib_stat/history.html |title=National Library |access-date=21 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304165816/http://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/nat_lib_stat/history.html |archive-date=4 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sir [[Ashutosh Mukherjee]] was appointed as the president of imperial library council (1910) to which he donated his personal collection of 80,000 books arranged in a separate section.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.getbengal.com/details/how-are-mir-jafar-and-lord-curzon-associated-with-kolkatas-national-library|title=How are Mir Jafar and Lord Curzon associated with Kolkata's National Library?|date=5 January 2022|newspaper=Get Bengal|access-date=4 January 2024}}</ref>

== Declaring the Imperial Library as the National Library ==
[[File:Formal opening of the National Library on 1 February 1953.jpg|thumb|left|Formal opening of the National Library, c. 1 February 1953. Among those present are (from left to right) [[Bidhan Chandra Roy|B. C. Roy]], [[Abul Kalam Azad|Maulana Azad]], [[Harendra Coomar Mookerjee|HC. Mukherjee]], [[Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar|SS Bhatnagar]], [[Humayun Kabir (Bengal politician)|Humayun Kabir]], and [[B. S. Kesavan|BS Kesavan]].]]
After independence the Government of India changed the name of the Imperial Library to the National Library by ''Imperial Library (Change of Name) Act, 1948'', and the collection was transferred from [[Esplanade, Kolkata|The Esplanade]] to the present [[Belvedere Estate]].<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the National Library: From the Imperial Library to the National Library |url=http://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/nat_lib_stat/history.html |publisher=National Library of India |access-date=17 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617023911/http://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/nat_lib_stat/history.html |archive-date=17 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 1 February 1953 the National Library was opened to the public by [[Abul Kalam Azad|Maulana Abul Kalam Azad]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history|title=National Library|website=nationallibrary.gov.in|access-date=8 May 2019}}</ref> The name of ''National Library'' was changed to ''National Library of India'' by section 18 of the ''National Library of India Act, 1976''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/repealed-act/repealed_act_documents/A1976-76.pdf|title= National Library of India Act, 1976|publisher=India Code|access-date=4 January 2024}}</ref>

The library collects book, periodicals, and titles in virtually all the Indian languages while the special collections in the National Library of India house at least fifteen languages.<ref name=NLI/> The Hindi department has books that date back all the way to the nineteenth century and the first ever books printed in that language. The collections break down and consist of 86,000 maps and 3,200 manuscripts.<ref name=NLI>{{cite book|last1=Murray|first1=Stuart|title=The Library an Illustrated History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FCP9kHegLOcC&q=The+Library+an+Illustrated+History.+Chicago|date=2009|publisher=ALA Editions|location=Chicago|isbn=978-1-602-39706-4|page=283}}</ref>[[File:National Library of India 02303.JPG|thumb|National Library]]

== Discovery of hidden chamber ==
In 2010, the Ministry of Culture, the owner of the library, decided to get the library building restored by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI). While taking stock of the library building, the conservation engineers discovered a previously unknown room. The secret ground-floor room, about 1000 sq. ft. in size, seems to have no opening of any kind.<ref name="timesofindia_secret_chamber">{{cite web
 | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Secret-chamber-in-National-Library/articleshow/6957358.cms
 | title = Secret chamber in National Library
 | author = Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey
 | work = [[The Times of India]]
 | date = 22 November 2010
| access-date = 20 November 2010
}}</ref>

The ASI archaeologists tried to search the first floor area (that forms the ceiling of the room) for a trap door, but found nothing. Since the building is of historical and cultural importance, ASI has decided to bore a hole through the wall instead of breaking it. There are speculations about the room being a punishment room used by [[Warren Hastings]] and other British officials,<ref>{{cite news |date=17 June 2022 |title=Haunted Library of Kolkata: রাত বাড়লে অন্দরমহলে দাঁড়াতেও ভয় পান প্রহরীরা! লাইব্রেরীর অন্দর থেকে যেন আজও ভেসে আসে গর্ভনরের স্ত্রী কান্না |work=The Bengali Chronicle |url=https://thebengalichronicle.com/national-library-haunted-place-of-kolkata-act/ |access-date=10 August 2022 |language=bn}}</ref> or a place to store treasure.<ref name="timesofindia_secret_chamber"/>

In 2011, the researchers announced that the room was filled entirely with mud, probably in an effort to stabilise the building.<ref name="business_standard">{{cite news
 | url = http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/room-with-no-view-111052200021_1.html
 | title = Room With No View
 | author = Debaleena Sengupta
 | work = [[Business Standard]]
 | date = 22 May 2011
| access-date = 22 May 2011
}}</ref>

== Visiting ==

The National Library is located on Belvedere Road in Alipore. It is open between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm on all working days and between 9.30 am and 6.00 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Government of India holidays.<ref name=":0" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/ National Library of India]

{{Kolkata topics}}
{{Asia topic|prefix=National Library of | title=[[National library|National libraries]] of Asia}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National libraries|India]]
[[Category:Culture of Kolkata]]
[[Category:Libraries in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Education in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Alipore]]
[[Category:Libraries established in 1836]]