Shillong, Nov 3: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday inaugurated the renovated State Central Library and the House of Ryndia in Shillong, calling it a step toward preserving heritage, promoting reading, and strengthening indigenous textiles.
Speaking at the event, Sangma said the initiative ties together three key pillars of Meghalaya’s development — protecting living heritage, expanding access to knowledge, and creating markets for traditional weavers.
He outlined the state’s growth model as infrastructure development, personal development, and tradition. On tourism, he said the government is looking beyond Sohra, Mawlynnong and Dawki to build 11 new destination brands, and to turn sectors like sports, music, textiles and handicrafts into job-creating economies with community involvement.
The Chief Minister said the upgraded library has been made more youth-friendly with better amenities, including local coffee, tea and snacks, to encourage students to read without mobile distractions. He urged parents and teachers to build a consistent reading habit in children.
The inauguration was held alongside the State-Level Living Heritage Arts & Craft Village Festival, celebrating Meghalaya’s arts, crafts, music, food and oral traditions.
The House of Ryndia will serve as a dedicated platform for Meghalaya’s indigenous textiles, boosting visibility and market linkages for local producers.
Established on January 19, 1974, the State Central Library now has over 2 lakh books and around 31,000 registered members, issuing about 200 books daily.
The renovation was carried out with Rs 2.23 crore assistance under the National Mission on Libraries. The new facilities include improved reading areas, archives, a children’s section and a Knowledge Corner for competitive exam aspirants. The library has also adopted E-Granthalaya software, OPAC and Web OPAC for digital access.
