The National Library was formed of two different libraries

 Kolkata's National Library

On February 1, 1953,
the then Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad inaugurated the 'National
Library' of the city of Kolkata and the former name of the building where it is
located in Kolkata is Belvidere Garden House. However, the process of
establishing the National Library started much earlier. Calcutta Public Library
was established in 1836 AD. The main entrepreneur was Joachim Stoeckeler alias
Joachim Haywards Sednos, editor of 'The Englishman'. Out of total twenty four
entrepreneurs, only two were Bengalis. Babu Rasikarishna Mallick and Babu
Rasmoy Dutta. It was then said that by donating 300 rupees, one can become the
proprietor of 'Calcutta Public Library'. Dwarkanath Tagore became the first
proprietor with this grant.

Then the 'Imperial
Library' was established in 1903 AD. But both these libraries were closed to
the general public. The users of these two libraries were high-ranking
government functionaries and people of the aristocracy. The then Viceroy and
Governor General Lord Curzon wanted to change this system. He brought the two
separate libraries together and established 'The Imperial Library'. At first it
started at Metcalfe Hall. In 1923 the library was moved to 6 Esplanade East.

In 1948, it was
decided that Belvidere House would be the permanent address of the Imperial
Library, with its new identity as 'The National Library'. Its doors were opened
to the common people of independent India on February 1, 1953. This library is
a collection of more than twenty lakh books in different languages of the
world. About 19,500 magazine are taken in this library.

Of course, there are
national libraries in the rest of the country's cities. But far ahead in terms
of tradition and nobility is this library of Belvidere Estate, Alipore,
Kolkata. Apart from the main building of 72 Bigha 8 Katha 4 Chhatak land,
various departments of the National Library are scattered in some other
buildings.