Hardayal
Municipal Public Library is situated in the heart of Chandni Chowk and is one
of the very few oldest buildings that have been able to withstand the onslaught
of modern times. The library was set up in 1862 as a part of a reading club for
Englishmen. The books were given to the reading room, called the Institute
Library, which was part of the Lawrence Institute, named after the then Viceroy
of India. In 1902, the library was renamed Delhi Public Library.Delhi Public
Library was renamed Hardinge Municipal Library in 1916. In 1970, Hardinge
Library became Hardayal Library. It has a unique collection of more than
1,70,000 books in Hindi, English, Urdu, Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. This is
one of the few Libraries in the world with a collection of at least 8,000 rare
books.
Department
of Posts released a commemorative stamp on Hardayal Municipal Heritage Public
Library on 26th December 2016 at the function held to release commemorative
stamps on Personalities of Bihar at New Delhi by Smt Anupriya Patel, Minister
of State for Health & Family Welfare in presence of Mr. B. V. Sudhakar,
Secretary, Department of Posts & Chairperson, Postal Services Board, Shri
A. N. Nanda, Member (Banking & HRD) and Hardayal Municipal Public Library
Chairperson Shobha Vijender.
