Chandigarh, also called the City Beautiful, is a city in India that serves as the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana, and is a union territory of India. The name translates from Hindi to English as“The Fort of Chandi”,Chandi being a Hindu Goddess.

Known internationally for its architecture and urban planning, Chandigarh is home to numerous architectural projects of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki, and Albert Mayer. The city boasts a high standard of living with the highest per capital income in the country and tops the list of Indian States and Union Territories with a Human Development Index of 0.674.

Citizens of the city beautiful enjoy the highest democratic rights in the country with least interference from any quarter. Chandigarh, with a population of 10,54,686 located in 241 miles (388 Kms) north of New Delhi, is one of the most visible examples of planned city among all the new cities of India.

The city is located at bottom of the picturesque Shivalik range of the towering Himalayas. Two seasonal rivers, Sukhna Cho and Patiala Rao, bound it on east and west respectively; the area is flat, but with a gentle slope ideal for drainage. It has an extreme temperatures rising to an unbearably hot 45 degrees Celsius in summer and falling to almost freezing in winter. The city is cosmopolitan in nature; It is mixed cultured city with people of all classes and creed. Quality education, professional – colleges, advanced medical facilities here have no parallel. City has one of the best library networks.

Libraries in Chandigarh have been developed in phases. The first phase T. S. Central State Library in Sector-17 was established to cater to the reading needs of the residents of 30 sectors. With the development of more sectors, towards the South of Dakshin–Marg, it was felt that the T. S. Central State Library was not enough to meet with the reading requirements of all the residents of Chandigarh. Furthermore with the development of the third-phase of Chandigarh and, the coming up of satellite town Mohali, it was felt, all the more necessary to set up another big public library in the south Chandigarh. With the idea of fulfilling this need, State Library in the sub-city center in Sector-34 was conceived, as a hub of creative activities.

State Library – 34, was Inaugurated on 14th August 1995 by H.E. Lt. Gen. Sh. B. K. N. Chibber retired, Administrator Chandigarh and Governor of Punjab. It was initially started with collections of 5000 books of which about 2000 were gifted from T. S. Central State Library, Sector-17 and rests were received as donation from the general public.

State Library is an organ of social democracy and an instrument of self-realization. Library has been characterized, from the beginning, by its commitment to the goals of promoting and enlightened citizenry; providing the opportunity, materials, encouragement and stimulation for continuing self education and serving the community inside and outside the walls.

The library in Sector-34 is housed in a large building spread over an area of more than 2400 Square Yards  in the form of four floors. The layout of its sections is under:

• The basement houses Acquisition Section, Binding Section, Reading Room, and Stores.
• The ground floor contains a Newspaper and Magazine Section along with a Reading Room.
• The first-floor has the Children Section, Technical Section, and the Reading hall.
• The second-floor has the Circulation Section and Seminar Hall. The circulation section with its integrated architecture is extended up to the third floor of the building.
• The third-floor has the Reference Section and the extension of the Circulation Section on it.
• The fourth floor has reading hall.