19th century library getting ready to turn over a new leaf
The district admn, in collaboration with urban development dept, will digitise one of state’s oldest libraries
LUCKNOW: City’s grand old Amirud-Daula library is all set for a makeover.
The district administration in collaboration with the urban development department is going to digitise one of the oldest libraries of the state. Also, the plan is to restore the structure of the building, which is in need of repairs.
“The change is a part of smart city mission. It will infuse life into the fading library,” said a library staff.
The work is likely to take off in a couple of months, said Mukesh Meshram, divisional commissioner. Meshram, who is monitoring the project said, “We have decided to take help from the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to ensure perfection in whatever we do with a heritage building.”
The top priority will be to digitize the content and preserve the rare manuscripts that are in library’s possession.
“The library has historical significance. If nothing is done now it will be lost into oblivion,” said Meshram while sharing the revival plans for the library.
“Since digitising the entire collection of books would be a mammoth task the work would be carried out in phases. In the first phase, we have decided to digitise the important books, rare-manuscripts and other literature present at the library,” said Meshram.
Other than digitisation, he said the board of governors of the library has big plans to add beauty to the fading library. “Other phases of the library’s revival project also include beautification of the library building and its premises,” he added.
“The restoration of over 100year-old building of the library will be followed by the illumination and other beautification works. The entire work would be carried out under smart city project,” an official added.
If things go as per plan, the project would infuse new life into the grand old library that boasts of more than 2 lakhs books, including rare manuscripts in Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Tibetan and Burmese languages.
“Amir-ud-Daula library is an indispensable part of Lucknow’s history.
Initially, it was a part of state museum and was known as Provincial Museum,” said Yogesh Praveen, a historian who has penned down several books on the monuments of Awadh. Praveen hailed the move and said similar steps should be taken to save other historical structures of the state capital.
THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO DIGITISE THE ONE OF THE OLDEST LIBRARIES OF THE STATE.
› Amir-ud-Daula library is an indispensable part of Lucknow’s history. Initially, it was a part of state museum and was known as Provincial Museum YOGESH PRAVEEN, Historian