Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijendra Gupta chaired a meeting at the secretariat on transforming the existing library into a state-of-the-art ‘e-Library’ through a structured process of digitization, leveraging advanced IT infrastructure, modern gadgets, and software solutions.
According to an assembly official, the Parliament Secretariat has extended its support to assist in this digital transformation.
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The meeting was attended by the Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh.
During the meeting, Speaker Gupta expressed the hope that various stakeholders would contribute meaningfully toward achieving the shared goal.
He emphasized the significance of this initiative in strengthening legislative research and ensuring seamless access to information in a rapidly evolving digital environment.
He said the establishment of an e-Library would not only help preserve invaluable archival materials but will also enhance efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability across legislative functions.
The Delhi Legislative Library has a rich historical legacy. It was established in 1952 with the formation of the first legislative assembly and was initially part of the Vidhan Sabha. However, its operations ceased in 1958 following the reorganization of states.
The library was later brought under the control of the Delhi Administration Secretariat, and in 1989, administrative oversight was transferred to the Metropolitan Council Department.
With the reconstitution of the Delhi Assembly in 1993, it was officially renamed the Delhi Legislative Assembly Library. Presently, it houses a valuable collection of over 40,000 documents thereby continuing its vital role in supporting informed legislative processes.
Several experts from leading academic and administrative institutions also participated in the meeting and shared valuable suggestions to guide the planning and execution of this digital transformation. Their inputs covered a wide range of areas, including best practices in library digitization, effective use of metadata, integration of modern library management systems, and user accessibility.
Dr. Pravin Babbar from JNU, who was also in the meeting, highlighted that the university’s library holds over 600,000 books, and 800,000 news clippings have already been digitized.
Similarly, Dr. E. Rajalakshmi, Librarian at NSD, reported that their entire collection of drama-related materials has been fully digitized.
The Delhi assembly has reiterated its commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to build an efficient, inclusive, and digitally empowered knowledge ecosystem for both legislators and the public.
