Connemara Public Library, National Depository Library in Egmore, Chennai, India

Connemara Public Library stands in the Government Museum Complex on Pantheon Road, Egmore. The pale pink building has a flat roofline and small square windows above a recessed centre framed by tall white pilasters, with dark gridded windows, blue latticework and a colonnaded balustrade. Rough grey stone clads the ground floor, where a signboard reads "கன்னிமாரா பொது நூலகம்" and "Connemara Public Library". It holds over 600,000 books.

The library was founded in 1860 and began with surplus books from a British college. It has since grown into a national depository institution with substantial collections documenting regional history.

The library's name honours Lord Connemara, the Governor of Madras who laid its foundation stone on 22 March 1890, though he had left office by the time it opened in 1896. Its Tamil name, Kanni Mara, appears on the dark signboard above the entrance, beside the English lettering. The collection grew from the Madras Literary Society, the Oriental Manuscripts Library and the Records Office, and includes a 1608 Bible.

Visitors over 17 years old can access the collections through an automated system and use digital services. Check opening hours and access requirements before your visit to make the most of the resources available.

The library is not a registered member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, despite its national depository status. Its collection includes a Bible printed in 1608, and it also receives publications from the United Nations and the Asian Development Bank.