AMC to establish e-library, reading kiosks across city

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, in an attempt to implement the Internet of Things technology, is coming up with an e-library under the Smart City project. This will be the first such project by the civic body whereby they will provide digitalised content to members of the MJ Library and gradually to citizens.

Seven other libraries and more than 50 reading rooms will also be digitalised. The virtual library will also have integration with the National Digital Library of India which has more than 1.7 crores digitalised books in 200 languages.

According to the municipal commissioner Vijay Nehra, the library has been conceptualised under the smart city project. "As a part of Smart City Project, we are coming up with e-libraries for citizens. After completion of the project, citizens would be able to avail books 24*7 on any digital device," said the commissioner.

Other than the virtual library, the civic body is also coming up with reading kiosks at around 100 locations across the city. "As a pilot project, initially, we will place kiosks at the MJ library and seven other libraries. Those machines will be equipped with information about the library, e-papers, books, magazines, etc. The machines will serve as a digital platform for readers," said a senior official of the AMC.

The official said that the kiosks and libraries will be equipped with educational material. "Our reading rooms and libraries are jam-packed with aspirants for different competitive exams. Reading material for competitive exams will be available to them in different languages," said the official. At the MJ library, there will be around 30 desktops or screens for readers/students whereby one would also be able to take a test series of different exams.

Other than the reading content, there will be audio-visual and multimedia content for students. Along with this, there will be an exclusive mobile app for the virtual library.