Dr Zakir Husain Library of JMI reopens

Dr Zakir Husain Library, the central library of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) was thrown open for students on Wednesday after its "vandalization" in December last year.

"The library reopened after its extensive renovation and face lifting and was hugely welcomed by the large student community of the university," an official statement read.

With nearly 800 seating capacity consisting of a reading hall, research floor, reference and periodical section, and a well equipped digital resource centre, comprising of 150 computers, library resumed all its services today.

According to the statement, the textbook and research sections of the library are opened till midnight and witness huge footfall.

"Officiating Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ilyas Husain expressed satisfaction over the opening of the new block of the library after a long time. He hoped that the old section of the library will also be opened soon," the statement read.

"The period of nearly three months during which the library remained closed was utilised for improving the functioning of a large number of Faculty and Departmental Libraries by deputing there the staff of Central Library. The free time was also utilised to migrate library management software to an open-source software from the commercial one for more effective integration and discovery of resources," it added.

Former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung had last month demanded an investigation into the incident, the CCTV footage of which was doing rounds on social media showing policemen in riot gears barging into the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) library and beating students with batons on the night of December 15 last year.