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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Libraries Around the World

Anna Centenary Library,Chennai,Tamilnadu,India
Anna Centenary Library (ACL) built at a cost of INR 1,720 million, it is the largest library in South Asia and is named after the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu,C N Annadurai.Built on 8 acres of land, the 9-floor library building houses a total area of 333,140 sq. ft and has a capacity to accommodate 1.2 million books.The library is designed to accommodate a total of 1,250 persons; an auditorium of 50,000 sq. ft. with a seating capacity of 1,280, and an amphitheatre on the terrace that can accommodate more than 800 persons and two conference halls with capacities of 151 and 30 persons are some of the facilities available.A dedicated children's section, spread over 15,000 sq. ft. has a fun-filled theme-based reading area with multimedia kits and storybooks. The library also boasts a high-tech section for the visually-impaired, with talking books and Braille displays.Parking space exists for about 420 cars and 1,030 two-wheelers.The library employs 200 staff, including 96 permanent and 40 contract employees, and has a collection of 550,000 books. It is visited by about 2700 persons every day.




















Biblioteca Nacional de España - Madrid, Spain



The National Library of Spain didn't always carry the name of National Library. It was founded by Felipe V at the end of 1711 and opened its doors in March of 1712 as the "royal public library." In 1836, it passed from being royal property to belonging to the government, and then, first became known as the National Library of all of Spain.

                                                                                         



Bibliothèque Nacionale de France - Paris, France

 

In France, the National Library is located in the capital: Paris. Its origins trace back to the royal library founded at the Louvre by Charles V in 1368. In 1998, the French president Francois Mitterand ordered the construction of a new building, which contains more than ten million volumes. An exhibition space is also part of the new building.

                                                                                



Philological Library of the Free University - Berlin, Germany



Since the end of World War II, the Free University has been not only of the city's symbolically most important institutions, but also one of the leading universities in Germany as a whole. It oocupies a central role in the capital's intellectual life. Its redevelopment, in turn, includes the restoraction of the university's Modernist buildings and the construction of the new Philology Library, which was built from 1997 to 2005. 

                                                                                         
Law Library of the University of Zurich - Zurich, Switzerland

 

 The Law Library of the University of Zurich is one of them. It carries the famous name of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, who has his main office in Zurich. The library was opened in 2004, after 15 years of planning and construction. The original building dates back to 1908, and Calatrava's extended version cannot actually be seen from the street. The library's collection itself holds about 170,000 books and 700 magazines
 
National Library Singapore - Singapore



The National Library of Singapore dates back to 1823. At that time, it was very much linked to the founding of Singapore's first major educational institution, The Singapore Institution. Much time has passed since then, and this institution is now known as the Raffles Institution. The National Library, too, has undergone great evolution; at the beginning it only served the needs of a privileged few but nowadays it is aimed at reaching out towards all Singaporeans. The National Library Building houses the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library and the Central Public Library .


Austrian National Library - Vienna, Austria



The Austrian National Library is the central academic library of the Republic of Austria, and as such, spans a rich history and tradition that dates back all the way to the 14th century.It was Emperor Charles VI who ordered it to be constructed as his Court Library. Architect Johann Bernard Fischer von Erlach planned its construction, and it was built from 1723 to 1726 by his son Joseph Emanuel. Court painted Daniel Gran, in turn,can be thanked for the beautiful ceiling frescoes.
                                                                                            
 





          











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