Reading is a wonderful experience, whether you’re re-reading an old favourite or diving headfirst into a brand new novel. With so many intriguing characters, high stake situations, and amazing settings, books are possibly one of the best ways to escape into unknown worlds, and where else can you find a lot of them other than a library?
These are our picks of the best libraries across the city you should definitely check out.
The Delhi Public Library has quite a few branches around the city, including a Braille library, making the joy of reading accessible to most of the population. One of their larger branches is in Sarojini Nagar, with two large rooms for reference books, one for books that you can borrow, and even a separate area for kids. Though their English literature collection is not exhaustive, they have a huge assortment of material in regional languages, including Hindi. If you do want to borrow, you’ll have to sign up to be a member, after which you’ll be issued a borrower card. They have a detailed procedure of becoming a member that you can check out on their website.
Membership Price: Access is free of charge, membership starts at INR 20.
Famously known as iHub is open for public references, research or just exploring the collection.If want to enjoy some alone time with free Wi-Fi (for members only), The American Library is the perfect place for you. Membership will entitle you to borrow up to six books, two back issues of periodicals and two DVDs. A member is also allowed access to library accounts online, to create search lists, renew material and place hold requests for material. Additionally, the library also organises a wide range of events for its members, including movie screenings, art and craft workshops and book launches.
Membership Price: Individual at INR 400/year, families at INR 500/year.
Also known as the National Academy of Letters, this institution is known for promoting literature from India. A gold mine for people who are looking for works in Hindi and other regional languages, the Sahitya Akademi Library has a broad collection of books on various subjects, including literary criticism, gender studies and translation studies. With dedicated sections on Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobindo, this place is one for the history buffs out there.
Membership Price: A deposit of INR 50 to be made for temporary membership of 15 days and INR 2000/year.
From an extensive urdu and english literature book collection to preserved newspapers from the pre-colonial times, Anjuman Taraqqi library is a haven for people who love reading about history and literature. If you follow Rekhta, you should know that all their primary sources of work were collated from Anjuman’s library.
Membership Fee: It’s free for public.
Started by a passionate organisation by the name Delhi Youth Welfare Association, this library is a vintage haven for lovers of literature. From the written original works of Ghalib to the script of Zauq, this library has it all and much more. The tiny space houses some of the rarest scripts from medieval times. This is one of our most proud discoveries in Delhi.
Pro-Tip: Timings are 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM Everyday. The library is closed on Sundays. This is the only library in Delhi that is open at night so typically people from the workforce sit and read books here post-work.
With all state-of-the-art facilities, the British Council Library is one of the best reading spaces to go to if you’ve got a reading addiction. You’ll find publications for almost all genres and categories, so pick your favourites and get reading. It also makes for a great place to study for your upcoming exams.
Membership Fee: Starts at INR 2,000.
Initially established in Lahore, DSPL was moved to our very own city by the Dyal Singh Trust Society. The library has a collection of 40,000 books, in the subject areas of literature, social sciences and the liberal arts. It subscribes to 100 different magazines and 32 different newspapers, so you can get your daily dose of culture and current affairs. The library also has audio and video equipment for those who need them.
Membership Fee: INR 500 onwards.