Asia’s Largest Legal Library
The Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud, opened the new library complex on April 24. The Supreme Court Judges Library, which started as a small space in the ancient Parliament House’s Princess chamber, has grown tremendously to become the largest legal library in Asia. It is currently housed in block A of the Supreme Court’s brand-new extension, a luxurious, four-story, cutting-edge edifice of 12,000 square feet. To meet the urgent needs, the Supreme Court’s main building, which still contains the two floors of the library, is in use.
The judge’s library, according to Chief Librarian Dr Jyotsna Eveline Reuben, is made up of a grid of libraries that connects the judges’ house, courtrooms and main library building. It is Asia’s biggest legal library. It also serves as a grid of libraries. Presently, there are 17 active courts, each of which has a functioning interior library with 2,500 books and 34 home libraries. Around 2,500 books are kept in each private library, according to Reuben. It functions as a round-the-clock hotline for the judges, providing any requested study along with books immediately. The library has been open, the chief librarian said, even on weekdays early in the morning and late at night when benches would gather or judges would request materials. A total of 3,78,000 items, including books, periodicals, monographs, law journals, statutes, committee reports, state legislations, parliamentary debates, and state manuals and local acts, are housed in the library.
The library has 131 journal subscriptions. Out of those, 24 are international publications and 107 are Indian periodicals. Additionally, it has subscriptions to 8 periodicals and 19 newspapers. Keeping the Chief Justice of India aware of all legal news reported by the media is one of the unique jobs carried out by the judge’s library. Every day, at about 4 am, the foundation for the same is laid.
In addition, the library features a particular image of the late Soli Sorabjee, a famous jurist and Senior Advocate, as well as a section named in his honour, the Soli Sorabjee Bibliotheca. Five thousand of Sorabjee’s books were donated to the library by his family. Reuben Since this is a specialised library, all of the professional staff members have earned their MLIS and are currently working towards their LLM. Senior staff members hold doctorates, whereas junior staff members have law degrees. We are professionals and researchers in addition to being librarians, and we have completed qualifications that meet the criteria set forth by the judges.