Colonel Pyara Lal Memorial Library (Information Resource Centre) of USI is a knowledge hub in the area of Defence Studies/Services, Strategic Perspective, War/Warfare, Conflict/Peace Studies, United Nations, Foreign/International Relations/Diplomacy, Continent /Countries studies, National/ International Security, Insurgency/Naxalism/Terrorism, Nuclear Issues , General/ Academic/ Historical Studies and Autobiography/Biography/Memoires/ Travelite. It is a highly specialised library for enhancing and enriching knowledge while concurrently facilitating education, research, training, self-development, well-being, and lifelong learning. A full spectrum of ever-expanding body of worldwide knowledge and information superiority is maintained by acquiring, and furthering ease of access to books, manuscripts, and other print and non-print materials and preserving these for the benefit of the members.
Keeping in view the convenience of its patrons, the Library is located on the ground floor of United Service Institution of India, New Delhi and is air-conditioned.
The Library is the heart of the USI established in 1871. It has over 69,000 books and makes available 12 Newspapers and over 115 journals from all over the world. There is a good collection of rare books, about four hundred years old, on an astonishing variety of subjects, with principal emphasis being on strategy and defence. Many renowned scholars, including foreigners, have made use of it for their research.
In Reference Section, books on wars of 1962, 1965, 1971 and Kargil war (1999) and books on Medals, Military Uniform are available. The books have been arranged country wise. New arrival books, Magazine section, USI Publications and Indian Army List 1890-1993 (Except 1960-1969), General Orders and Gazetteer are available in our Reading Room. In rare section the oldest rare book is of 1616.
