LIS Notes for Competitive Examinations 1: Baroda and Library Movement

• In 1906-1907 the Maharaja of Baroda Sayajirao Gaekwad III introduced compulsory and free primary education.

• In the same year he conceived the idea of free public library system in all villages and towns of the State of Baroda.
  

• Maharaja insisted that “libraries should not limit their benefits to the few English knowing readers, but should see to it that their good work permeates through to the many”, and that “the vernacular libraries should be encouraged” so that every citizen of the State “may enroll himself as a pupil in the peoples’ university-the library”.

• It was a pioneer movement in India.

• This movement has made 1500 libraries in the state from a single library.

• The Central Library of Baroda was started at Lakshmivilas Palace and later shifted to a newly constructed building at Sarkawada.

• While visited United States Maharaja was impressed by William Alanson Borden, the Librarian at Young Men's  Institute  of New Haven in New Jersey.

• In 1910 W A Borden was invited to Baroda to plan a library system for the state.

• A separate department for libraries was started in 1910 with Mr W A Borden as the full time Director for State Libraries.

• Formally the library movement in India started in the year 1910 with Baroda Library Movement.

• The architect of New Delhi Sir Edward Lutyenc also associated for the creation of the central library.

• The library was commissioned in 1910 and completed in 1931.

• The Maharaja initiated the publication of Gaekwad’s Oriental Series in 1915. 

• Baroda Library Association was started in 1926. Library Associations from Taluk level, organized ‘Mitra Mandal’ (friendly groups in the libraries) in the town and village libraries and organized regular library conferences.

• The Baroda State  launched publication of a quarterly journal called Library Miscellany in English, Gujarati and Marathi in 1912 with Shri J. S. Kodalkar as its first editor. It is the first library journal in India.

• The glorious Baroda Public Library system had diminished after the death of the Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad and reinstated after the implementation of the Gujarat Public Libraries Act in 2001.