New Delhi [India], May 1 : In a landmark step towards modernisation, a high-level meeting was held on Thursday at the Delhi Assembly Secretariat under the chairmanship of Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta.
According to a release, the meeting focused on transforming the existing Library of the Delhi Legislative Assembly into a state-of-the-art e-Library through a structured process of digitisation, leveraging advanced IT infrastructure, modern gadgets, and software solutions.
The Parliament Secretariat has extended its support to assist in this digital transformation. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Speaker, Mohan Singh Bisht. During the meeting, the Speaker expressed hope that various stakeholders would contribute meaningfully toward achieving the shared goal.
Speaker Vijender Gupta emphasised the significance of this initiative in strengthening legislative research and ensuring seamless access to information in a rapidly evolving digital environment. He stated that the establishment of an e-Library will not only to 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, operations ceased in 1958 following the reorganisation 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. Today, it houses a valuable collection of over 40,000 documents, thereby continuing its vital role in supporting informed legislative processes.
Several distinguished experts from leading academic and administrative institutions participated in the meeting, sharing valuable suggestions to guide the planning and execution of this digital transformation. The participants included H. Saikholian Simte (Director Lok Sabha Secretariat), Dr. Kumar Sanjay, Director (Library), NITI Aayog; Dr. Pravin Babbar, Librarian, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU); and Dr. E. Rajalakshmi, Librarian, National School of Drama; Pritam Singh Executive Engineer(E) PWD; S.S. Bhadauriya Executive Engineer (C)PWD and K K Singh, Superintending Engineer, Central & North Division (Electrical), PWD, Legislative Assembly Secretariat.
Their inputs covered a wide range of areas, including best practices in library digitisation, effective use of metadata, integration of modern library management systems, and user accessibility.
Librarians from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the Parliament Library, and the National School of Drama (NSD) shared their experiences with the E-Granth Mala platform. The Director of Parliament Library informed the Hon'ble Speaker that all newspapers published since 1947 are available in the library.
Pravin Babbar from JNU highlighted that the university's library holds over 600,000 books, and 800,000 news clippings have already been digitised. Similarly, E. Rajalakshmi, Librarian at NSD, reported that their entire collection of drama-related materials has been fully digitised.
The Delhi Legislative Assembly reiterated its commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to build an efficient, inclusive, and digitally empowered knowledge ecosystem for both legislators and the public.