The Panjab Digital Library is a NGO digitizing and preserving cultural heritage of Panjab since 2003. With over 13 million digitized pages, it is the biggest resource of digital material in Panjab. There are many historically significant documents stored and made available online. Its scope covers Sikh and Punjabi culture.[1] The library funded by The Nanakshahi Trust was finally launched online in August 2009. It is located at Chandigarh.[2]
The mission of the Library is to locate, digitize, preserve, collect and make accessible the accumulated wisdom of the Panjab region, without distinction as to script, language, religion, nationality, or other physical condition.
Coverage
PDL is interested in digitizing anything which is lying in the Panjab region (Panjab, Haryana, Himachal, Kashmir and Pakistan). It is also interested to digitize anything concerning Panjab region or in Gurmukhi script lying anywhere in the world. PDL is actually and Archive being presented in the form of a Library. It digitizes manuscripts lying in villages with the same vigour as it digitizes Government files for posterity.
Outreach Projects
Library at Virasat-e-Khalsa - Taking a big leap forward, PDL recently signed an agreement with Anandpur Sahib Foundation to develop and manage a Library at Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum. PDL plans to develop a library of books related to Panjab's Art, Culture and History. Rare Manuscripts, old Magazines will also become part of it. Amongst all these, Newspapers will be kept in a big way. About 15 different titles from 1960 onwards will be made part of the library. A small library shop to sell interesting books and ephemeral material is also on the agenda. PDL hopes to open this librray by the end of May 2016.
Collections Digitized
1. Punjab Languages Department, Patiala
2. Government Museum and Art Gallery Chandigarh,
3. Beant Singh Memorial, Chandigarh
Most of these have been damaged and do not exist in original4. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Chandigarh
Circa Late 18th Century5. Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra
Digitized from Chandigarh Museum6. ST Stephen’s College, Delhi
Published in 1783 by James Rennel7. Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Chandigarh
Panjab under Maharaja Ranjit Singh issued coins from 1800 to 18488. Punjab Archives Department, Chandigarh
Recently gifted by Royal family of Nabha to Punjab Government9. Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board
Recently gifted by Royal family of Nabha to Punjab Government10. The Sikh Review, Kolkatta
11. Punjabi Sahitya Academy, Ludhiana
12. The Tribune, Chandigarh
13. Ajit, Jalandhar
14. Punjab Kesri, Jalandhar
15. Chief Khalsa Diwan, Sri Amritsar jio
16. SGPC, Sri Amritsar jio
17. DSGMC, New Delhi
18. Gurduara Angitha Sahib, Patiala
19. Punjab Virasat Charitable Trust, SAS Nagar
20. Nirmal Sanskrit Vidyala, Varanasi
Digitization services have been provided to reputed personal libraries, few mentioned below;
1. Jathedar Dalip Singh, MaluNangal
2. Dr. Surinder Singh, Chandigarh
3. Sodhi Family, Anandpur Sahib
4. MahantMastan Singh, Dharamkot
5. Dr. Gurcharan Singh, Patiala
6. Dr. Man Singh Nirankari, Chandigarh
7. Dr. Madanjit Kaur, Chandigarh
8. Brij Mohan Singh, Dehradun
9. Dera Sewa Panthi, Yamuna Nagar
10. Prof. Pritam Singh, Patiala
11. Gurmail Singh, Patiala
12. Gurtej Singh (Ex. IAS), Chandigarh
13. Joginder Singh Talwara, Sri Amritsar
14. Chetan Singh, Patiala
15. Dalip Singh Jathedar, MalluNangal
16. Dr. Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon
17. Gurcharanjit Singh Lamba, Jalandhar
18. Harvinder Singh Phoolka (Advocate, Supreme Court), New Delhi
19. Mohan Singh, Chandigarh
20. Mahant Kamaljit Singh, Moga
21. Prof. Malvinderjit Singh Waraich
22. Dr. Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh
23. Jasvinder Singh, Nagpur
and many more public and personal libraries.
Major Activities
2009 Nov - Exhibition “Deposition Dispensation: Digitization Directions” was inaugurated by H.E. Gen (Retd.) Dr. S. F. Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM, Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh. A special Monograph was also released on the occasion.
2009 Dec - Participated and presented a paper in the Parliament of World’s Religions at Melbourne, Australia.
2010 Feb - Participated and presented a paper titled ‘Panjab Digital Library: Revealing the Heritage of Panjab’ International Conference on Digital Libraries at New Delhi on February 2010.
2010 Feb - A month-long mobile exhibition was organized on Architectural Heritage of Panjab at Rose Festival, Chandigarh. The exhibition was on display from February 26, 2010 to March 28, 2010. The theme of the exhibition was “Unveiling the Architecture of the Greater Panjab”.
2010 Apr - Heritage walk was organized for students of KVRSM School of Chandigarh. About 45 students were taken to Manimajra fort for awareness about the heritage. They were given a lecture about the importance of Heritage.
2010 Apr - Exhibited heritage of Panjab at Beant Singh Memorial, Chandigarh. The exhibition was visited among others by His Excellency Shri Shiv Raj Patil, Governor of Panjab and Administrator of Chandigarh.
2011 Aug - A webinar "De-Freezing 1930s Panjab" was presented online. The webinar focused on sharing one of PDL's surprise treasures: photographs taken by Bhai Dhana Singh on a bicycle tour of Panjab of various shrines. The presenters then attempted to visit those shrines again in modern times and see what had changed over the decades.
2010 Oct - PDL helped setup a museum at Jagdhari. Sh. Harmohinder Singh Chattha, then Speaker of Haryana Assembly inaugurated in presence of Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. D.D.S. Sandhu, PVSM, VC of Kurukshetra University.
2010 Nov - Students of DAV College, Yamuna Nagar visited PDL office to have a first-hand experience of behind the scene activities of a Digital library and Digitization project.
2011 Oct - The Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib coordinated a workshop on 7-8 October, 2011 on “Studies on Sri Guru Granth Sahib: Utilization of Computer and Digital Technology.” PDL was honored to be presented as a case study in preserving heritage and facilitating ongoing studies.
2012 Feb - Developed a permanent installation of “The Khalsa Raj: Banda Battles & Body Politic” exhibition at Singh Sabha Gurduara in Southhall, UK.
2012 Apr - Developed and Exhibited “The Khalsa Raj: Banda Battles & Body Politic” exhibition at City Center Library, Surrey in April 2012.
2013 Jul - In collaboration with HRI Southasia, Panjab Digital Library developed an exhibition LIVED STORIES, EVERYDAY LIVES. The exhibition was displayed for the first time at Punjab Kala Bhawan Chandigarh. Afterwards the exhibition traveled to Village Daudpur in Distt. Khanna of Panjab.
2014 Nov - Organized painting competition and exhibition at Chhapar Chiri, Mohali
2014 Nov - Helped Punjab Government with reprinting of Emly Eden's lithographs for Progressive Punjab Summit
2015 Feb - Honored for extraordinary contribution in the field of Digital Library at a conference organized by Bhutta College of Education. Presented a lecture at the conference.
2015 Feb - Working with National archives of India to develop policies and standards for digitization.
2015 Feb - Provided data backup services to Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board for their rare records.
2015 Feb - Organized an exhibition at Banda Singh Bahadur Memorial at Chhapar Chiri, Mohali
2015 Nov - Helped Punjab Government with reprinting of Prince Waldemar's lithographs for Progressive Punjab Summit
2015 Dec - Signed an agreement with Anandpur Sahib Foundation to develop and operate a library at Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum.
