Library

The library and the reading room have been functioning from the very beginning of the institution. When the Mission was shifted to its own premises, the library and reading room were organized in the ground floor of the main building to which a wing was added in 1944. However, under the leadership of the then Secretary of Delhi Centre and later the 13th President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Belur Math, Swami Ranganthanandaji, the present library with an area of 2772 sq. ft. on the ground floor and an auditorium with 1000 seats on the first floor were constructed. The foundation stone of the library and the lecture hall building was laid by Swami Nishreyasananda on birthday of Sri Ramakrishna on March 6, 1954.

Constructed at a cost of Rs. 3,33,000, the new library building and auditorium were formally inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru on November 23, 1956. Attended by two thousand persons, the meeting was addressed by him in Hindi. Describing Swami Vivekananda as a great leader who spread the message of peace, harmony and fellowship, he emphasised that the basic approach to human problems as envisioned by Swamiji was indispensable today, if the world was to be saved from disaster. He called upon the youth of India to study the soul-stirring messages of Swami Vivekananda who “shook the soul of India and moulded India’s mind and national thought.”

The library is open to members for the purpose of reading and reference work on all days except Mondays and other notified holidays. The library has a reading room facility and also a lending section for the benefit of borrowers, but books are issued to members residing in Delhi only. The library is equipped with books on generalities, philosophy and related disciplines, religion, social sciences, languages, pure sciences, technology (applied science), arts, literature, rhetoric, geography, history, etc. covering 13 languages, including French and Russian. The library provides dailies in English and Hindi and periodicals in several Indian languages.

The total number of books in the library at the end of the year 2010 is approximately 39,365. The reading room receives 10 newspapers and 150 periodicals in 10 languages.  There is a separate section for the children in the library which has been a great attraction for them.

Under revised rules of the library which came into effect from 1.1.2009 the refundable security deposit has been raised to Rs. 1000/-, admission fee to Rs. 50/- and annual membership fee to Rs. 500/-. A membership card will be issued for a period of 12 months only and the member will have to renew his/her membership annually with a renewal fee of Rs. 500/-.

University Students’ Section Library
Opened in the year 1962 this section is housed in a separate building. It is maintained with the assistance provided by the University of Delhi. This library is well equipped with various text books and other necessary facilities. Only students of Delhi University are eligible to become members of this library. The library was being renovated and modernized. A memorandum of understanding was signed with the Delhi University for converting this Library into a regular Undergraduate Text Book library of the Delhi University. The renovated library was inaugurated by the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Delhi University.  Currently, the total no. of books available is 4,055.