An Update on the Central Library

The Central Library stands as a temple of information serving students from B.Tech to PhD in learning, reflection and academic growth. For many of us, it has become our place of safety and comfort. 

The sudden announcement of the library's partial closure for renovation in March 2025 raised several questions. About nine months down the line, these questions have only grown. Therefore, we decided to interview relevant stakeholders in administration over this matter.

The Deputy Librarian, Dr Neeraj Chaurasia, informed us that the library staff was merely cooperating with the infrastructure unit in the renovation. Hence, we approached the Dean of Infrastructure, Prof. Dipti Ranjan Sahoo, who directed us to the Institute Engineer, Sh. Ashok Kumar.

Alongside, we had discussions with Prof. Arvind K. Nema, the Deputy Director (Operations), who guided us to the chairman of the Advisory Committee for Library (ACL), Prof. B. J. Alappat. However, given that Prof. Alappat had only taken up the position a few months ago, we interviewed the previous Chairman of the ACL - Prof. Ashwini K. Agrawal.

Ahead, we present to you our findings from the two interviews.

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The Institute Engineer

Sh. Ashok Kumar is the Institute Engineer of IIT Delhi and plays a critical role in managing infrastructure projects, along with maintenance and engineering operations. He has been a vital part of the library renovation from a technical standpoint.

Interviewed on: 27/10/2025

Q.1 What was the reason that the renovation started in the first place? Was any specific issue being fixed? 

The library is a decades-old building, and while this renovation might seem new to many, it has long been overdue. Every building has a certain lifespan, and regular maintenance needs to be done in order to keep it safe and functional; for this 40-year-old building, this was only imminent. There had been several instances of ceiling fragments falling onto students and several fire hazards, making further delay impossible.

It is also important to note that this is the first major renovation that is taking place in the building’s history; this means that it needed upgrades as well, the most significant of them being re-waterproofing of the building to avoid seepage and replacement of the old aluminium wiring with copper-based wiring.

When this building was originally built, there were around 3000 students on campus, but now this number is reaching around 12000. Keeping this in mind, the renovation also aims to increase the seating capacity to better accommodate the current student population.

(F/U) Why was just the top floor closed? Would the currently open sections also be closed once the top floor reopens?

The decision to occupy only the top floor during the first phase of renovation was made out of necessity. Ideally, the entire building would have been taken up at once to hasten the process. However, given the disruptions it would have caused, especially the shortage of seating spaces, the administration opted for a two-phase approach.

Yes, we intend to occupy the bottom two floors after the renovation, as the entire building needs to be retrofitted to the same level. This will allow us to both implement structural upgrades but also increase seating space and facilities.

Q2. When is the renovation expected to be completed? What is the progress after 6 months? Are there any delays?

In the best-case scenario, the top floor of the library is expected to be completed by March. 

However, there are some delays.

• The shortage of labour around festive seasons like Diwali and Chatt Puja.

• The extended rains from July to October, which hinder the construction activities on the top floor. 

• The identification of previously unknown issues, such as waterproofing problems

• The rising pollution, which could trigger GRAP-3 restrictions and halt construction, most likely until February.

All in all, 4 months of work remains. In the worst-case scenario, the top-floor renovation should be completed by May.

After the top floor is completed, we will move on to renovate the ground and the first floor, which will be quicker and less disruptive as there will be no waterproofing issues and sound will be less gnarling there. The two floors together should take approximately the same time as the first floor alone. 

The entire process would have been completed in 1.5 years had they given us the whole library. However, the lack of space led us to do the project in phases, leading to an increased time for renovation.

Q.3 What exactly is being done in the library as part of this renovation?

The entire building is going through a transformation; our work extends beyond routine maintenance and basic infrastructure; we are adding a lot more new accessibility features and retrofitting the building to modern standards.

Renovating a building of this age revealed additional issues as the project progressed.

A lot of the A.C. ducts were damaged and needed repair. Waterproofing was another major concern. Ideally, waterproofing needs to be redone at regular intervals, and the lack of the same had caused significant problems to the top floor. Thus, we are redoing the entire waterproofing of the building, which is a long and arduous process owing to the copious amount of debris and soil found on the roof.

The electrical systems inside the building are also being updated to avoid fire hazards.

(F/U) What will the new library look like? Any changes or new features we can expect?

To address the lack of seating space, we are increasing the seating capacity of the top floor to something that is comparable to the rest of the two floors combined. Another issue students faced was a lack of power points. We have made sure that all seats have charging ports and accessible power points. 

Accessibility was a key issue which came to our notice, and we are adding an elevator to the library as a part of this project. This required us to rearrange and reorganise the basic facilities within and outside the library to create the necessary space, and we will be moving the Nescafé outlet right outside the library to the newly built structure next to Amul as a part of this exercise. 

The aesthetic condition of the building, which was also a recurring grievance, is also being worked upon.

A proposal has been sent to the administration to consider adding another floor to the building. However, this has not yet been approved, and no further details can be provided at this stage. 

Q4. How does the institute manage the waste in such projects? For instance, the pile of rubble around Nescafé has been around for a while. Anything that can be done in that regard?

We have tried our best to cover the area as much as possible, much more than what is usually done at most sites, where they only use nets to ensure safety and protection. Dust in Delhi is a common problem, and the renovation of the top floor has little impact on it. I do not see how this can be a health hazard, as only snacks and tea are served in the nearby region. 

Q5. What people/bodies were involved in drafting the policies for the renovation of the library? What does the admin roadmap for something like this look like?

The Infra Unit generally works on 2 fronts:-

(i) Complaint-Based Action:- Here, we take action based on the complaints received by the students and staff. If the issue poses a safety hazard and is genuine, we act upon it immediately, like the reconstruction of the library. 

In other cases, a small committee is formed to oversee the issue and decide if the issue is to be worked on. Such a committee is mainly formed while considering the renovation of labs, hostels and residential quarters.

(ii) Suo-Moto:- In cases where the need is urgent, we act suo-moto. For example, recently, the elevators at the LHC and some hostels have been getting stuck quite frequently, which posed a threat to students and staff. Therefore, we are working to fix that as well.

The rest of the things, such as re-allocating space and providing provisional seating arrangements, do not come under my ambit. I am only concerned with the engineering part of the project.

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The Chairperson of the A.C.L.

We interviewed Prof. Ashwini K. Agrawal, currently the Dean of Research and Development, since he was the acting Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Library (ACL) at the time the decision to renovate the library was taken.

The Chair of ACL oversees the Central Library's strategic planning and policy guidance. The role involves coordinating with administrative bodies, faculty members, and the library team to ensure that major developments within the library are aligned with the institute’s priorities.

Interviewed on: 13/11/2025

Q1. What were the main reasons that led to the decision to renovate the library? The Institute Engineer also mentioned that this reconstruction has been long overdue. Is there a specific reason it is occurring now?

The Central Library has been in its current form for over 25 years, and was built to cater to the population of that time. Since then, the institute’s population has increased substantially, and the role of the library itself has evolved. There is now a clear need for the library to better accommodate the academic aspirations of both students and faculty. Many students residing outside the campus also rely on such spaces for routine academic tasks, whether for reading or preparing for examinations. 

The renovation has indeed been long overdue. Many administrative functions are managed by faculty members on a rotational basis, including positions such as Deans and Directors. As a result, long processes often remain incomplete within a particular term, requiring subsequent teams to revisit them. If initiatives are not concluded promptly, they remain pending and are passed on to the next administrative group, who may have different priorities and availabilities. Consequently, for a range of reasons, the renovation has experienced delays.

The current push for renovation began when I became Chair, A.C.L., and learned that the matter had been pending. I undertook the task of examining the suggestions received from various authorities and stakeholders involved and determining how to best integrate them. Numerous discussions were held with relevant bodies and administration to ensure that their expectations were incorporated into the file. Dr Nabi Hasan, head of the library, and his team played a crucial role in this process.

Q2. Could you take us through the administrative roadmap for a project like this — the bodies and committees involved in the decision-making process?

The administrative roadmap for a project of this nature is highly collaborative. We held many discussions within the administration to ensure that the new library could accommodate the respective visions of all involved. So, there were a lot of changes in the plan as it went along, and our job was to push that through and make sure it saw the light of day as we got various tweaks and reorientations after each step.

Several administrative bodies played important roles in this process. The Dean of Planning was responsible for the monetary aspects, including the budget. The Deputy Director (Strategy and Planning) provided the overall approval for the concept of the new library. The Dean of Infrastructure evaluated whether the renovation was genuinely required, recognising the existing issues and determining the priorities. 

The library team and the Director also contributed significantly by helping ensure that the file advanced at a faster pace. Thus, all of these people were greatly instrumental in making sure that the file was completed before someone else’s turn goes out and that the project is able to commence.

(F/U) Since the closing of the top floor affects students across the institute, was any student body consulted?

Student consultation was also an important part of the process, simply because they were the primary stakeholders in the process. 

Firstly, student bodies are part of all administrative committees in some capacity or another. So when the first concept of library renovation came to the ACL, there were students present, and they had presented their thoughts.

The institute also conducted surveys to better grasp students’ thoughts and priorities. So through the survey, we got to understand students’ needs and priorities. Through the survey, we learned that students wanted improved seating spaces and better facilities for the use of electronic devices. Another commonly raised issue was congestion in the library, which led us to rearrange certain components to generate more space. We also removed some of the spaces that were largely unused and converted them into more reading spaces.

Q3. There must have been discussions about how this closure would affect students, and several measures were likely considered to minimise disruption. Why was the current plan of action chosen over other alternatives?

The decision for the closure of the library was taken after careful consideration and discussions in a meeting consisting of various Deans, headed by Professor Ambuj Sagar, the Deputy Director (Strategy & Planning). The key topic of discussion in this meeting was to find a space for shifting books that were in the library, and to provide a suitable space for students to read until the renovation is done. 

It was deemed fit that the LHC rooms should be open for the students to study, and the plan of action was approved by the Dean of Academics. Along with the rooms, the decision to set up seating arrangements in the corridors was made to meet the requirements of the students during the odd times, since the classrooms are usually occupied until the afternoon.

(F/U) On that note, many students have expressed dissatisfaction with the temporary seating arrangements near the CMP Lab and LH rooms, mainly over the size of this setup as well as the lack of silence enforcement and air conditioning. Could any steps be taken to improve this setup?

I understand that the LHC rooms or the open area in front of CMP cannot entirely substitute for the library. These are only temporary arrangements that are undertaken by the administration to meet the requirements of the students while the library is being renovated. Moreover, the LHC is not under the direct control of the Library but of the Dean of Academics. 

As for silence, however, we cannot strictly impose it in these seating arrangements, as anyone with a valid ID card is permitted in LHC. In the library, of course, we can enforce discipline, but in the LHC, it is difficult.

Q4. The institute engineer mentioned that the entire library could not be given for reconstruction at once because of the limited area on campus. How does the administration plan to address this challenge of renovation while preserving library resources, especially when both floors will undergo reconstruction?  

The library renovation is occurring in phases because of space issues. The contractor would have liked us to give him the entire building with no restrictions, but it did not seem plausible, given the fact that there are a large number of books in the library that would have to be shifted to a temporary space. Most of these books are available online, but we cannot deprive our students of textbooks and other books that cannot be replaced by online sources. As a result, we could only give the top floor so that the students can still manage some of the resources of the library.

I am not aware of the specifics of Phase 2. Probably, the books will be moved to some temporary area. They cannot be shifted to the top floor as they will take up a lot of space in the renovated area. All I know for sure is that they will somehow manage it.

As for new spaces, the top floor will be restricted until the entire library is completely renovated because circulation will take place through the top floor. All the reading space will become available once the entire library is renovated.

Q5. The insti-engineer also mentioned a proposal to build a new floor. Could you tell us something about it?

About the new floor, the idea is to make the rooftop available for reading as a third floor. The AC plants on the roof might be moved to the ground, and a temporary structure will be built to provide a reading space. This plan, however, is still under discussion due to certain challenges.

Q6. You talked about the various visions people had for the place. Could you guide us through what they looked like and what changes we can expect in this new library? 

One of the most significant aspects we wanted to cover was providing the students with different kinds of spaces. For example, there may be times when students wish to discuss something in a group, but this is not really possible in the current setting, so we are building collaborative spaces for such situations.

At the same time, some students prefer complete isolation and no disturbance from nearby sounds. For them, we planned a space with different kinds of chairs designed to reduce distractions, such as high sofa chairs that block the sides and create a more enclosed environment.

Another thing that was really important to us was trying to increase accessibility for students with special needs. Currently, access is highly limited, so we wanted spaces where wheelchairs can move easily, and people with different needs can access these facilities. 

We are also building an Audio Visual room to enhance the experience of the library.

Apart from this, we receive a lot of visitors, and many often visit along with their families, so we are also building a children’s library where children can be left to read and do things of their own interest.

We will be segregating reading materials based on their frequency of use, so we will keep the books with high circulation at the library, while others will be shifted elsewhere.

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Reported by: Anikesh Agarwal, Saanvi Purwar