ગુજરાતી
English
Dilip Patel
Ahmedabad, 2025
Books are the ocean of knowledge. Books are contained in mobile phones and computers. If anyone can develop a human being, then it can be done by none other than books. Books always illuminate the history, present and future. Due to mobile phones and government negligence, not even one percent of citizens go to libraries.
The state government has not given a single rupee for putting books in the libraries of primary schools for 9 years.
Librarians have not been recruited in 2500 aided and government schools and 500 colleges of the state for a long time. The post of permanent librarian is vacant for a long time in 90 percent of the universities of the state.
8000 schools have been closed. In 14,000 schools, students of all classes study in the same class. How can a library be possible there?
So, Gujarat reads, but does not read.
There are 43 lakh books in government libraries.
There are 43.21 lakh books in 229 government libraries in the state. But only 4.90 lakh members are registered in these. Out of the 10 districts with the least number of books and members in the state, seven are tribal districts. The highest number of members in the state is 86 thousand in nine government libraries in Surat.
45 percent or 2.19 lakh members in the state are in four metropolitan cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara.
The number of members and books in government libraries in tribal districts of Gujarat is also less than in other districts.
Out of the 10 districts with the least number of members and books, 7 are tribal dominated. These include Chhota Udaipur, Narmada, Tapi, Aravalli, Dahod, Mahisagar and Navsari. Chhota Udaipur has only one government library. Which has 30 members and about 13 thousand books. In these 7 districts, only 20 libraries have 19550 members and 2.84 lakh books.
Libraries and members
Surat
The highest number of 86 thousand members in the state are in the nine government libraries of Surat. The highest number of books are also in the libraries of Surat.
The highest number of 13 libraries are in Anand. Which have 12 thousand members and more than 1.46 lakh books. Here the government library includes libraries under the state government, municipal corporation and municipality.
85 libraries are under the control of the state government. Which have 3.04 lakh members and more than 21.31 lakh books.
The 157 libraries of the Municipal Corporation have 1.85 lakh members and 21.89 lakh books. Apart from the metros, the highest number of 16 thousand members are in 12 libraries of Mehsana.
The highest number of 20 lakh books are in 12 libraries of Amreli.
But the number of readers is less.
Bad situation in 2021
The state has 33 districts, out of which 26 have district libraries. 7 district libraries have no libraries.
85 government taluka libraries have libraries. Out of which 162 talukas have no government libraries.
155 villages have government public libraries. These have no librarians. A youth from the local village was made a temporary librarian by paying a nominal amount. The deputy librarian of the taluka was given the responsibility of the district library. There were 3224 subsidized libraries in the state.
The post of director of librarian in the state remained self-charged for five years.
There has been no permanent recruitment since 1996. There is only one government library in Jasdan taluka of Rajkot district, and its building is also dilapidated.
2024
Under the ‘Vanche Gujarat’ campaign, it has been announced to build government libraries in 50 talukas of 21 districts by 2024. ‘National Book Read Day’ is celebrated on 6 September.
100% grant assistance will be given to public libraries instead of 25%.
There are a total of 927 government and grant-in-aid libraries. Of these, there are 30 district and central libraries, 116 taluka libraries, 8 women libraries, 99 public women libraries, 142 rural libraries, 42 urban libraries, 74 urban branches, 10 special libraries, 318 urban libraries and 88 children libraries.
New scheme
A provision of Rs 1 crore per library has been made for Anand, Jamnagar, Bharuch, Vyara and Central Library Vadodara. New state-of-the-art library buildings were to be built at all places like Chhota Udaipur, Mahisagar, Botad, Veraval, Pavijetpur, Prantij, Vadgam, Modasa.
There are 3500 grant-in-aid libraries in the state by the state government. By freeing them from public contribution, their grant has been increased by 100 percent.
In 2021, there were 197 government libraries across Gujarat. 71 new libraries were to be built.
The state central library has 500 people reading books per day, while the district library has 150 to 250 people reading books per day.
The taluka library has 100 readers per day.
It was decided to start a total of 64 government libraries at the taluka level in 50 talukas of 21 districts and 14 talukas of 7 tribal districts. In 2024, 53 of the 64 government libraries had become operational. The construction of 11 was in progress.
There are a total of 197 government libraries in Gujarat. In 2025, the state government approved the construction of 71 new government libraries at the taluka level.
Gandhinagar
The six-storey library in Gandhinagar, which is the largest building in Gujarat, has 65,000 books in Hindi, English and Gujarati. It is built in Sector 21 at a cost of Rs 20 crore. The old library building had a seating capacity of 200 people. Now it can accommodate 800 readers.
The e-library section has Wi-Fi. You can access about 4,000 books
Books can be read online. Literature is available in Braille script. Audio books are also available. There is also a senior citizen room, e-library and a visually impaired section.
Now books will be stored in software. Books can be renewed by RFID system.
It has 10,240 members. The annual fee is just two rupees. You can read 12 hours at night.
Dahod
The district panchayat had sought information about land to build a modern library in every village in 2025. In 100 big villages, where there is 2000 square feet of land, a contract has been signed to build a house to build a library at a cost of Rs 25 crore.
The Gujarati Sahitya Parishad library has 80,000 books. There are 250 manuscripts. There are 1450 rare books.
Wadhvan
The 100-year-old library of Wadhvan city was closed due to being in a dilapidated condition.
Surendranagar
A newly built government library and its modern study room was built in Surendranagar in 2025 at a cost of Rs 4 crore. It has 55,000 books. There are 4,000 members.
Close it due to goons
Due to the terror of anti-social elements in Amraiwadi area of Ahmedabad, the city government is considering closing the library and starting an Anganwadi.
The Saurashtra University library has more than two and a half lakh books.
Bhavnagar
The history of the state, which is a treasure trove of information, is incomplete without the Barton Library. Barton Library is the largest library in Saurashtra. It has 90,000 books. 5,000 books date back to 100 years. Mahatma Gandhi was one of its regular readers. Financial assistance under 80G is tax-free. The library is also allowed to receive international funds under the FR Act 1976. Diwan Gaurishankar Ojha established the “Shri Chhaganbhai Desai Library” in 1860 AD. This library later came to be known as “Barton Library”. It was inaugurated on 30 December 1882.
Junagadh
The human library was started by the Junagadh Collector in 2022. There are such libraries in Denmark as well. This library helps employees to get relief from mental stress. A person is given to the office. Good and bad events of life can be exchanged with colleagues and get relief from mental stress. A license can be issued to a person to speak in this library located in Junagadh.
At present this facility is only for government employees, but later it will be started for common citizens as well.
Bharuch
The 164-year-old library located in Bharuch has one and a half lakh books. It is the second oldest library in the state. This library was established in 1864 by Mumbai industrialist Premchand Raichand with a donation of 4 thousand rupees. Raichand Deepchand Library was established. It was started in 1858 by Desaiji Hakumatraiji of Bharuch. This library has received Gujarati and English books as gifts from Rajaram Mohan Roy Library and Foundation Trust, Kolkata. Books are also received as gifts from citizens from time to time. This library has many rare books. There are 76147 books in Gujarati, 40226 books in English, 8826 books in Hindi, 326 books in other languages and 150 to 200 years old books. There are 2 lakh books in total, registered and unregistered.
Sohrabha Dadabhai Munsaf donated 400 books. Now no one comes to read or take books.
Bharuch
‘K. J. Choksi Library’ is located in the old Mamlatdar area of Bharuch. It was established on 28 May 2008. This library was built in memory of freedom fighter Kantilal Choksi of Bharuch by his children. It started with 10 thousand books and today it has 53 thousand books. It is powered by solar energy.
Nikora village of Bharuch
A mobile library has existed in Nikora village of Bharuch taluka for 100 years. Based on the concept of Jhola Pustakalaya, books are loaded in trucks and delivered door to door every Sunday in Shri Yuvak Mandal Pustakalaya. Books are given free of cost. Donations are made by donors of the village. 1,000 books were washed away due to the flood in the Narmada river.
Separate arrangements for children
This library has a separate section reserved for children. In one section, children’s magazines and books are available according to the level of the children. Separate arrangements have also been made for women readers. Arrangements have also been made so that elderly and disabled readers can read comfortably. There are 7 to 8 magazines and 3 newspapers available in the library. Many people come and read newspapers at 9 am and 12 noon. Shri Yuvak Mandal Library has a collection of more than 8 thousand books in English, Hindi, Gujarati, Parsi and Urdu.
Vadodara
This library was built by Sayajirao Gaekwad III in 1910. It has 4 lakh books in 6 languages in 352 racks.
This library is built in a three-storey building made of wood, brick, mica and copper. Therefore, books can be read even without electricity. 719 pieces of glass imported from Belgium have been installed.
Large windows and large doors have been installed. Due to which readers get enough sunlight. Energy is saved. There is also a technique to protect books from fire by placing mica between fireproof doors and iron.
It has 60 thousand members. Every day 300 members take books to read. In Gujarati, English, Hindi, Marathi, Urdu and Sindhi
1000 books are available.
After the implementation of compulsory education, American librarian Mr. William Borden was invited to India for the library in 2010.
Edwin Dutton designed a special structure to protect it from moisture and termites.
American publishers presented a miniature library of 73 books to Gaikwad. It has volumes of all the plays of William Shakespeare. There are also Bhagavad Gita, dictionaries and golden thoughts of that time. Which are exactly like the thumb of the finger.
40 thousand books have been digitized.
There are 5 thousand story books.
There is an e-library, audio-visual room, children’s room for children, comfortable rooms for women and comfortable seating arrangements for senior citizens.
There is also a hundred-year-old Gujarat Pustakalaya Sahayak Sahakari Mandal Limited in Vadodara.
Ankleshwar
The J.N.P.T. library established in 1888 in Ankleshwar has been given the status of a special library by the state government.
Kandla
Atulbhai Dave, who worked at Kandla port for 30 years, was its librarian.
Books are given free of cost to the people.
Ahmedabad – Raipur
The 150-year-old building of ‘Aparao Bholanath Pustakalaya’ located on Raipur Kankaria Road is in a dilapidated condition. This library has been closed for 20 years. It has thousands of books, all of which are on the upper floor. The only member of the committee is Dr. Chaitanya Patel. Bholanath was a scholar from Vadnagar town. It is believed that he named the Aparao Bholanath Pustakalaya after his son. It is a heritage building.
Mahudiyapura village
The third public library called Granth Mandir was started in September 2025 in Mahudiyapura village of Nadiad. 15 thousand books were donated by the readers. A teacher from Gutal village in Kheda district has started this library without any public support, not at his own expense, but with his hard work. After successful operation of two libraries in the state, now the third library has been started in Anand.
List of libraries that have completed 100 years
1 Lang Library Trust operated Shri Arvindbhai Maniyar Library, Rajkot Rajkot 1856
2 Himabhai Institute, Ahmedabad Ahmedabad 1857
3 Lilaghar Public Library, Dholka Ahmedabad 1857
4 Raichand Deepchand Pustakalaya, Bharuch Bharuch 1858
5 Government District Library, Junagadh Junagadh 1865
6 Stuart Library Trust, Godhra Panchmahal 1866
7 Baroda Public Library, Dhandhuka Ahmedabad 1867
8 Maharavshree Vijayrajji Public Library, Bhuj Kutch 1868
9 Ghee Victoria Jubilee Institute Library (Trust), Palanpur Banaskantha 1872
10 Parikh C.K. Public Library, Petlad Anand 1873
11 Sheth Shri Harilal Narottamdas Bhavanbhai Library, Mahuva Bhavnagar 1877
12 Parekh V.H. General Library, Visnagar Mehsana 1878
13 Shri M.N.Amin Public Library, Vaso Kheda 14
14 Public Raman Library, Prantij Sabarkantha 1881
15 Barton Public Library, Bhavnagar Bhavnagar 1882
16 Ghee J.B.Petit Public Library and Free Reading Room, Bilimora Valsad 1882
17 Public Library, Padra Vadodara 1883
18 Patel Lallubhai Narayandas Public Library, Valam Mehsana 1885
18 Hood House Library, Idar, Dist. Sabarkantha Sabarkantha 1886
20 Desai Nanji Gokulji and Sheth Z.H. Library, Porbandar Porbandar 1886
21 J.N.P.T. Library, Ankleshwar Bharuch 1888
22 Shri Sayaji Public Library, Dabhoi Vadodara 1889
23 Manibhai Public Library, Damnagar Amreli 1890
24 Shrimant Fatehsinghsav Public Library, Patan Patan 1890
25 Victoria Jubilee Library, Jalalpur Navsari 1897
26 A.S. Dahilakshmi Library, Nadiad Kheda 1898
27 Shri Sayaji Vaibhav Public Library, Navsari Navsari 1898
28 Shri C.S.Butala and Brotherhood Library, Modasa Sabarkantha 1900
29 Run by Jafarabad Kelvani Mandal P.M. Library, Jafarabad Amreli 1902
30 Bismilkhanji Public Library, Radhanpur Patan 1903
31 Aloni Public Library, Savli Vadodara 1904
32 Seth Bhogilal Chakulal Vidyavardhak Public Library, Vadnagar Mehsana 1905
33 Shri Chhaganlal Galiara Public Library, Khatod Surat 1905
34 Public Library run by Shri Suryapur Sanskrit Pathshala Mandal, Amliran Surat 1905
35 Public Library, Palana, Tal. Nadiad, Dist. Kheda Kheda 1906
36 Public Library, Bhayli Vadodara 1907
37 Shri Sayaji Swarna Jayanti Public Library, Bijapur Mehsana 1909
38 Shethshri, M.R. Public Library, Unjha Mehsana 1909
39 Shri Umedbhai Savjibhai Mahila Pustakalaya, Shertha Gandhinagar 1911
40 Vaidya A.S. Public Library, Sankheda Vadodara 1912
41 Shri Maganbhai Lallubhai Public Library, Sankheda Vadodara 1912
42 Public Library, Peej Kheda 1913
43 Public Library, Veda Gandhinagar 1914
44 Sheth Gopaldas Ukaram Public Library, Sundhiya Mehsana 1914
Strange
A saree showroom near Commerce Six Road in Navrangpura, Ahmedabad has been named as Sari Library by an organization called Adarsh Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad also has a library of 400 bird feather specimens of 154 bird species. (Google translation from Gujarati from this website)
