State Central Library, Hyderabad

The State Central Library Hyderabad, స్టేట్ సెంట్రల్ లైబ్రరీ better known as the State Central Library, is a public library in Hyderabad, Telangana. The building was constructed in 1891 by Nawab Imad-ul-Mulk. Formerly known as the Asafia Library, it is one of the most imposing structures in the city and was granted heritage status in 1998 by INTACH, Hyderabad.The library is located at Afzal Gunj on the bank of the River Musi. It houses 500,000 books and magazines including some rare palmleaf manuscripts. This library is the apex of the state's library system.HistoryThe State Central Library began in 1891 due to the efforts of Moulvi Syed Hussain Bilgrami (Nawab Imadul Mulk Bahadur), whose personal library formed the institution's initial core.The library building has an area of 72,247 square yards and was built under the supervision of architect, Aziz Ali. The foundation stone was laid in January 1932 by Prince Mir Osman Ali Khan. At the construction's completion, the Asafia Library shifted to the new building in 1936 to mark Nizam VII's silver jubilee. The architecture is reminiscent of a palace with its huge halls and high ceilings.In 1941, the Asafia State Library celebrated its Golden Jubilee. When the Hyderabad Public Libraries Act became law in 1955, Asafia State Library was declared as the State Central library for the Hyderabad State.