Archive · 17 Aug 2026
Librarians evolve from custodians to knowledge curators in digital age
Librarians used to be people who took care of books in libraries.
Now, with computers and the internet, there is so much information that it can be hard to find what is true and useful.
Librarians have become helpers who teach people how to find, check, and use information.
They work with books, e-books, audiobooks, films, and online databases.
A famous Indian librarian named Dr. S.R. Ranganathan once said a library is a growing organism, and that is still true today.
In India, a program called Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya lets people read over 7,000 books in many languages on any device.
India is also publishing more research than before, which shows libraries and learning are helping.
Libraries are becoming places where communities meet, share ideas, and learn together.
Even with new technology, librarians are still very important because they help people understand information.
Librarians are evolving from custodians of books into curators of knowledge who help people navigate, evaluate, and connect information.
Dr. S.R. Ranganathan's fifth law of library science, 'library is a growing organism,' now defines modern hybrid libraries blending physical and digital collections.
UNESCO estimates that 2.2 million books are published globally every year, expanding the information landscape across e-books, audiobooks, films, and databases.
India's Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya provides device-agnostic access to more than 7,000 curated titles from over 250 publishers in 25 Indian languages and English.
India's share of global research publications rose from 3.5% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2024, with PhD enrolment up 21% and doctoral completions up nearly 49% since 2019.
- Who
- Librarians, including those at the British Council Library, and author Viji Thiyagarajan, Director Libraries Global at the British Council.
- What
- The evolving role of librarians from custodians of books to curators of knowledge in digitally connected, hybrid libraries.
- When
- Contemporary; the article references developments from 2017 to 2024 and the National Education Policy 2020.
- Where
- India and globally, including the British Council Library.
- Why
- The growing abundance of digital information makes it harder to navigate, so librarians now help people evaluate, connect, and create knowledge.
- Author
- Viji Thiyagarajan
- Author role
- Director Libraries Global, British Council
- Books published globally per year
- 2.2 million (UNESCO estimate)
- Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya titles
- More than 7,000 curated titles
- Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya publishers
- Over 250 publishers
- Languages offered
- 25 Indian languages and English
- India's share of global research publications
- 3.5% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2024
- PhD enrolment growth since 2019
- 21% (doctoral completions up nearly 49%)