The Mumbai University Library is one of the oldest University Libraries in India. Considered a magnificent landmark of
Mumbai, the library features some of the most exquisite stained glass windows in Asia. The library and clock tower were made by George Gilbert Scott. The University of Mumbai was established in 1857 and the Library started functioning in 1880. The construction of the library was financed by Premchand Roychand, a merchant prince of Mumbai, in August, 1864. The foundation stone of the library and the Rajabai Clock Tower was laid on March 1, 1869 and the work was completed in November 1878. It was formally opened to readers on 27th February, 1880.
In July 1971 a unit of the University Library was started at the Vidyanagari (Santacruz) Campus. The Mumbai University Library at present operates from both Fort Campus and from Vidyanagari Campus. It has a collection of 7,15,571 volumes which includes 76,119 periodical volumes, 1,190 manuscripts in Urdu, Arabic and Persian and about 7,418 manuscripts in Sanskrit and allied languages, 3,679 microfilms and 16,620 theses/dissertations.
The new Library Building named Jawaharlal Nehru Library (JNL) was inaugurated on 18th October 1976. The JNL now functions in a full-fledged manner and caters to the library needs of students, scholars and faculty members of the Departments of the University.
The University Library also acts as an UN depository, which has a collection of several UN documents. The collection of UN documents is housed in a separate section. Other features include a collection of maps, letters/correspondence of eminent personalities in Indian History such as Lokhitwadi, Dr. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, V.D.Savarkar, Lokmanya Tilak, Swami Vivekanand and such others. A special collection of A.K. Priolkar, Dr. Ambedkar, C.D. Deskhmukh are also compiled.
The Library provides inter-library loan at regional, state, and national level.
CONTACT ADDRESS FOR JNL:
Jawaharlal Nehru Library
Prof. V. P. Rajhansa
Head, Department of Library & Information Science
University Librarian
University of Mumbai
Vidyanagari Campus,Kalina
Santacruz (East)
Mumbai- 400 098
