Gandhinagar: In yet another addition to the social infrastructure in the state capital, the Sector-21 Government Library in the city is set to be inaugurated on February 27th by Union Home Minister and local Lok Sabha member Amit Shah. The library is one of the largest in Gujarat, spanning six floors and opening its doors not only to the people of Gandhinagar but all those connected with the world of reading and literature. The Sector 21 library has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 20 crore.

This library has as many as 65,000 books for reading. It accommodates more than 800 individuals simultaneously, with special considerations for women, men, children, and the elderly, including provisions for the visually impaired. Additionally, there will be a WiFi facility in the e-library section.

Readers can set a password on the computer and access up to 4,000 books online. Plans are in place to regularly add more books to the software, catering to the interests of online readers. The library offers books in three languages: Hindi, English, and Gujarati. The computerized OPEC facility categorizes books by subject, making it easy for readers to locate their preferred books within this vast collection.

The library also boasts a section called Andhajan, where literature is presented in Braille. In the e-library, audio content can be accessed by individuals by using special instruments on the computer. It provides a listening option for those unable to see. A separate seating arrangement has been designated for students preparing for competitive examinations, where subject experts will also deliver lectures once a month.

Housing literature books in all three languages, books for competitive exam preparation, novels, biographies, children’s books, women’s literature, religious books, history, geography, tourism-related books, as well as reference books like Vishwakosha and Bhagavadgomandal, the library also offers reading of 20 daily newspapers and 162 magazines. 10,240 members have already enrolled to this library.

The annual fee for this government library is a mere two rupees. Prospective members, with the endorsement of a gazetted officer and a surety form, are required to pay a deposit of Rs. 40 and an annual membership fee of Rs. 10 for five years. Provision has also been made for those without a surety, allowing a deposit of Rs. 100 and a membership fee of Rs. 10. The Sector 21 library is open for readers from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, a total of 16 hours, with specific hours set for women readers from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Once a member, anyone can borrow up to four books at a time. Arrangements are in place for manual renewal of books through the RFAD system for members unable to return books on time. Jayrambhai Desai, the chief official of the library, expressed joy at the inauguration of Gujarat’s largest sixth-grade library in Gandhinagar. He urged the citizens of the district to take full advantage of this opportunity and embrace the knowledge offered by the government library for a better life through reading.

The library provides various facilities across its six floors. The ground floor includes the Librarian’s office, Assistant Librarian’s office, other offices, server room, electrical room, store room, senior citizen room, e-library, blind section, reception, and waiting room.

On the first floor, there is a book dealing section, a children’s section, a women’s section, and a canteen. The second floor houses the book processing department, reference department, competitive examination room, and research room. Similarly, the third floor comprises a women’s reading room and an online examination room, while the fourth floor hosts a reading section. A conference hall, with a capacity of 200 persons, is situated on the fifth floor. Additionally, there is an auditorium hall accommodating 50 persons and a small meeting hall for 20 people.

The goal of this six-storey library, the only one of its kind in Gujarat and built in Gandhinagar, is to provide a serene and healthy environment for the reading enthusiasts of the city. Through this initiative, the residents of Gandhinagar will gain access to modern books, along with excellent technology and advanced facilities. While the seating capacity of the old library building was only 200 persons, the new building has increased it to 800 persons. Moreover, it includes basement parking facilities with space for 20 four-wheelers and 40 two-wheelers. DeshGujarat