What resources are in place at the Amir-Ud-Daula library in Lucknow to access digitized books?

Lucknow's time-honoured Amir-Ud-Daula library is a true sanctuary that caters to the diverse needs of bibliophiles, enthusiasts and eager students alike. With a legacy spanning an impressive 153 years, this venerable institution unveils its resplendent treasures, now seamlessly woven into the fabric of the digital age.

Under the Smart City project, the Amir-Ud-Daula library underwent digitization which started in 2020. Executed in two phases by Informatics Publishing, the task was completed in February of this year. Now, the public can freely access 80,000 digitized books and 27,000 e-magazines on the library's website, opening doors to a world of knowledge.

Under the extensive digitization process, a selection of exceptionally scarce manuscripts, dating back to the range of 300 to 400 years old, has been meticulously digitized and enhanced to ensure improved legibility. Employing a high-resolution scanning technique, the manuscripts were captured at a resolution of 300 dots per inch (DPI) to ensure optimum quality.

Multiple teams were entrusted with the meticulous task of digitization, employing the employment of Czur scanners to scan each page of the manuscripts.

With this, the library was also frequented by those preparing for competitive examinations. In good news for such visitors, over 1,000 books for competitive exams have also been made available online, along with 5,000 premium e-books and nearly a thousand text books.

Besides their free-to-access website - www.lucknowdigitallibrary.com, now a self-help kiosk has also been installed at the library.

This enables members to independently borrow books by utilizing a card-punching mechanism, eliminating the need for external assistance. To maintain the security of the collection, a sensor has been installed at the exit gate.

In the event that a book is removed from the premises without being officially borrowed, this system promptly activates an audible siren as a precautionary measure. Additionally, ongoing maintenance work is being carried out within the library halls.