National Library of India

The National Library of India stands in green surroundings in Alipore, south Kolkata. It is one of the largest libraries in India and serves as the country's permanent archive of printed books, newspapers and periodicals. Under a 1954 deposit law, the Delivery of Books and Newspapers Act, publishers must deposit copies of their works here, and the law was later widened to bring in more periodicals and maps.

Its history begins with the Calcutta Public Library, set up on 21 March 1836 to lend books to anyone regardless of background. In the early 20th century it was joined with the Imperial Secretariat Library to form the Imperial Library, which an act of 1948 renamed the National Library; it opened to the public in 1953.

Besides printed matter, the collection includes manuscripts, official papers, photographs and works about India gathered from abroad. Reference and bibliographic services, guided tours, exhibitions and internships for library-science graduates are also offered.