Allahabad Public Library

{{Infobox library

| library_name = Allahabad Public Library

| library_logo = Thornhill Mayne Memorial, Alfred Park, Allahabad.jpg

| country = India

| type = Public library

| ref_legal_mandate =

| location = Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

| coordinates = {{coord|25.4557596855282|81.84941995931914}}

| established = 1864

| num_branches =

| collection_size = approx. 125,000 books, 40 magazines and 28 newspapers

| annual_circulation =

| pop_served = 55,100 reader inclusive of 1,271 membership (2013-14)

| budget =

| director =

| num_employees =

| website = {{URL|http://agplib.org/}}

}}

Allahabad Public Library, also known as Thornhill Mayne Memorial, is a public library situated at Chandrashekhar Azad Park in Prayagraj, India.{{cite book |title=Handbook of the Bengal Presidency: With an Account of Calcutta City |url=https://archive.org/details/handbookbengalp00eastgoog |quote=Thornhill Mayne Memorial.|year=1882 |publisher=John Murray |page=[https://archive.org/details/handbookbengalp00eastgoog/page/n381 366]}}

History

Established in 1864, it is the biggest library in the state of Uttar Pradesh.{{cite web | url=https://mediaindia.eu/freestyle/a-bibliophiles-travel-itinerary-2/ | title=A bibliophile's travel itinerary | date=11 April 2017 | first=Surbhi | last=Kapila | publisher=Media India Group | access-date=13 July 2018 }} The building was designed by Richard Roskell Bayne and is considered a remarkable example of Scottish Baronial Revival architecture.{{cite book |title=The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture, Volume 3|author=Jonathan M. Bloom, Sheila Blai|publisher=Oxford University Press|year= 2009|isbn=978-8125013839 |page=57 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=un4WcfEASZwC&dq=holy+trinity+church+allahabad&pg=PA57 }} The monument served as the house of legislative assembly in the British Raj when Allahabad was the capital of the United Provinces. In 1879, the Public library was shifted to the present premises at Chandrashekhar Azad Park.

Holdings

The library has an approximate collection of 125,000 books, 40 types of magazines, and 28 different newspapers in Hindi, English, Urdu and Bangla and it also contains 21 Arabic manuscripts.{{cite news |author= |title=Public library witnesses 37% increase in readers |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Public-library-witnesses-37-increase-in-readers/articleshow/43224473.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |location=Allahabad |date=23 September 2014 |access-date=6 October 2014}} It also has a collection of old government publications, parliamentary papers, and blue books of the 19th century, and old manuscripts and journals.{{cite news |last=Dixit |first=Kapil |date=12 June 2013 |title=Govt public library gets international recognition |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Govt-public-library-gets-international-recognition/articleshow/20547384.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |location=Allahabad |access-date=6 October 2014}}

Building

The building known as Thornhill Mayne Memorial is situated at Alfred Park and was designed by Richard Roskell Bayne in Scottish Baronial architecture with sharp pillars and turrets of granite and sandstone. It represents structural polychromy with lofty towers and arcaded cloisters.{{cite book |last=Chandra |first=Ramesh |title=Cities and towns of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8-ZOAAAAMAAJ&q=queen+victoria |year=2004 |publisher=Commonwealth Publishers |page=393|isbn=9788171698080 }}{{cite book |last=Michell |first=George |title=The Penguin Guide to the Monuments of India: Islamic, Rajput, European |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fa5NAAAAYAAJ&q=Thornhill+Mayne+Memorial |year=1989 |publisher=Penguin Books |page=202|isbn=9780140084252 }} When completed in 1870, the building cost approximately INR 94,222.{{cite book |title=Various Census of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9KgIAAAAQAAJ&dq=Thornhill+Mayne+Memorial&pg=PA117 |year=1877 |publisher=Oxford University |page=117}} It was funded by Commissioner of Allahabad, Mr. Mayne and was opened as a memorial to Cuthbert Bensley Thornhill.{{cite book |last=Sharma |first=Om Prakash |author-link=Om Prakash Sharma (librarian) |title=Forces Behind the Indian Public Library Movement, 1858-1892 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x2noAAAAMAAJ&q=Thornhill+Mayne+Memorial |year=1970 |publisher=University of Chicago Graduate Library School |page=243}}