Established in 1890 Connemara Public Library at Chennai is one of the four National Depository libraries which receive a copy of all books, newspapers and periodicals published in India. It also serves as a depository library for the UN.

     The Library's beginnings go back to 1861, when hundreds of books were found surplus in the libraries of Haileybury College (where Indian Civilians were trained in England). These books were sent to the Madras Government, which in turn handed them over to the Madras Museum. Conceived on the lines of the British Museum Library, it was part of the Madras Museum till 1890, when the need for 'a free public library' prompted the then Governor of Madras, Lord Connemara, to lay the foundation on 22nd March, 1890.

     The library was as part of a cultural complex that grew in the grounds of what was once called 'The Pantheon'. The entire complex now boasts buildings that reflect architectural unity, even while demonstrating the various stages of Indo-Saracenic development, from Gothic-Byzantine to Rajput Mughal and Southern Hindu Deccani.

     The new building, which was added to the Library in 1973, has a vast collection of books, a much sought after text-book section, a periodicals hall, a reference room, a video room, an entire floor for books from the Indian languages, a Braille Library and an IAS study centre. Over six lakh books are available in the library.

Membership: Any person over 17 Years of age residing in the city of Chennai and its immediate vicinity can become a member. A member can borrow a maximum of six books at a time by depositing Rs.300/- for Home reading & returnable within 14 days. An Annual Subscription of Rs.50/- per member is collected for each financial year.

1890 - Foundation stone laid
1896 - Inauguration
1929 - First full fledged Librarian appointed
1930 - Lending Service, Open Access & Home Delivery Services Introduced
1950 - Declared as State-Central Library Under the Tamil Nadu Public Libraries Act,1948
1954 - Declared as National Depository Center Under the
Delivery of Books and Newspapers (Public Libraries Act 1954)
1955 - United Nations Depository Center
1963 - Publication of Tamil Nadu State Bibliography of Childrens Literature
1964 - Publication of Tamil Nadu State Bibliography of Tamil Books
1965 - UNESCO Information Centre
1966 - Institute of Library Science Inaugurated
1968 - Merger of Childrens Bibliography and State Bibliography
1974 - Three Storeyed New Building Added
1981 - Reference Section & Text Book Section Opened
1985 - XEROX Facilities Introduced
1989 - Educational Video Service Introduced
1991 - Computer Unit Installed
1992 - Asian Development Bank Information Centre
1994 - Civil services Study Circle Opened
1995 - Braille & Talking Books Section Opened
1996 - Centenary Celebration of the Library
1998 - Computers Added as a Part of Computerization of Library Activities
1998 - Commemorative Stamp on Connemara Public Library Released
1999 - Three-Storeyed Centenary Building Added
1999 - CD ROM Services Introduced
1999 - Internet services Introduced
2000 - Microfilm Unit Opened
2003 - Member Bar Code Introduced
2003 - Online Public Access Catlogue(OPAC) Installed
2004 - Permanent Book Fair Inaugurated
2005 - Selected as the Best State Central Library in India
2005 - Internet Browsing centre Opened
2005 - Book Bar Code Introduced
2005 - Separate CD Rom Section Opened
2006 - Vacuum Fumigation Chamber is Installed


     Any person over 17 Years of age residing in the city of Chennai and its immediate vicinity can become a member. A member can borrow a maximum of six books at a time by depositing Rs.300/- for Home reading & returnable within 14 days. An Annual Subscription of Rs.50/- per member is collected for each financial year.

Monday to Saturday - 9.00 A.M to 7.30 P.M Sunday - 9.30 A.M to 6.00 P.M

26th January (Republic Day), 15th August (Independence Day) , 2nd October (Mahatma Gandhi's birthday) and 6 Festivals viz. Pongal, Tamil New year Day , Saraswathi Pooja, Vijayadasami, Diwali and Christmas

Connemara Public Library, Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai - 600 008.
Phone: +91-44-28193751

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