Shillong's State Central Library reopened after a renovation

The Shillong Times reported on November 4, 2026, that Meghalaya's State Central Library in Shillong has reopened after a renovation inaugurated the day before. The upgrade, Rs 2.23 crore under the National Mission on Libraries, added improved reading rooms, an archive, a children's section, and a larger Knowledge Corner for students preparing for national exams. That corner began in 2019-20 and is now a full study room. The library also uses E-Granthalaya software and an online public catalogue so readers can find materials.

The library opened on January 19, 1974, under the Directorate of Arts and Culture. As of March 1, 2026, it held more than two lakh volumes, plus magazines, government publications, and newspapers going back to the 1970s. It had about 31,000 registered members and issued roughly 200 books a day, besides people using the reference rooms. Services include lending, internet browsing, internships, and online membership.

The same inauguration opened the House of Ryndia, a textiles department space meant to show Meghalaya's Eri silk weaves, including contemporary designs and ready-to-wear clothes, and to give weavers a clearer path to buyers. The library news is the reopened building and the counts already on the books. It does not say how many new members have signed up since the doors opened again.