Operated by: Ajabkhana (“Ajabkhana”, “the Library”, “we”, “us”).
Technology platform provided by: Novecta Technologies Pvt Ltd / Bookberry (“Bookberry”, “the Platform”).
Version 1.2 | Effective date: 4 Aug 2026 | Last updated: 3 September 2026
Plan Schedule (incorporated by reference): Ajabkhana Membership Plan Schedule — see Clause 3.
By purchasing, activating, or using an Ajabkhana library membership — whether through the Bookberry application (“the App”) or at an Ajabkhana counter — you (“Member”, “you”) agree to these Terms & Conditions (“Terms”). If you do not agree, do not purchase or use a membership.
Ajabkhana is the operator of the library service. It owns the physical collection, issues and receives books, sets and collects fines, holds Security Deposits, and is solely responsible for the physical library, its premises, staff, and the lending service. For the purposes of applicable data protection law, Ajabkhana is the Data Fiduciary in respect of membership, borrowing, and library-service records.
Bookberry is the technology provider only. It supplies the App and platform used to manage memberships, catalogue, reservations, and (where enabled) payments. Bookberry is not the provider of the library service, does not own the collection, and is not a party to the lending relationship between you and Ajabkhana. Bookberry acts as Data Processor for the library-service data it processes on Ajabkhana’s behalf, and as Data Fiduciary in its own right for data relating to operation of the App and Platform (e.g. account credentials, App usage logs).
Any dispute concerning books, fines, deposits, or the physical service is between you and Ajabkhana. Any issue concerning the functioning of the App is directed to Bookberry support, without affecting your obligations to Ajabkhana.
A data-sharing and processing arrangement between Ajabkhana and Bookberry governs how your data is shared between them; this does not create any additional obligation on you beyond these Terms.
Ajabkhana offers Membership plans varying by price, billing cycle, borrowing limits, Security Deposit, and additional benefits. Currently active plans, their features, and pricing are set out in the Membership Plan Schedule, available at Ajabkhana Membership Plan Schedule (“Plan Schedule”), which is incorporated by reference and forms part of these Terms.
Each plan is identified by a unique, permanent plan code (e.g. “abc123”). Once you have purchased a Membership under a given plan code, the price, billing cycle, borrowing limits, Security Deposit, and other features of that plan code are fixed for the remainder of your current Membership Period and will not be changed or edited for you during that period.
Ajabkhana may deactivate a plan code (making it unavailable to new customers and to renewals) and introduce new plan codes at any time. Deactivation of a plan code does not affect a Member who has already purchased a Membership under that code for the remainder of their current Membership Period.
The Plan Schedule shows the plans currently active and available for purchase or renewal. A record of the specific plan code, its features, and the Plan Schedule/Terms version applicable to your purchase is retained in our records and available on request, or via your Bookberry Dashboard.
Where you renew manually (i.e. you have not authorised a standing payment mandate for renewal), each renewal is a new purchase under the plan code(s) active and available at the time of renewal, which may differ from the plan code of your expiring Membership Period. You will be shown the applicable plan code, features, and pricing, and asked to affirmatively accept them, before renewal is completed.
Where you have authorised a standing payment mandate (Auto-Debit) for renewal, your Membership renews automatically under the same plan code, at the same price and features, without being shown a new plan or asked to re-accept at each renewal. If Ajabkhana changes the rules, price, or features applicable to your plan code, existing Members on a mandate will be informed of the change in accordance with Clause 12, and the change will apply to them only as permitted under Clause 12.3 (for material changes) or Clause 12.2 (for non-material changes).
Where your plan includes reading-space access, this is a contractual entitlement of your Membership for its duration, and not a discretionary privilege that Ajabkhana may withdraw at will while your Membership is active and in good standing. It is nonetheless subject to seating availability, library operating hours, capacity limits, and the conduct rules in Clause 9; it does not guarantee any specific seat, workspace, or exclusive area. Ajabkhana may regulate, limit, or temporarily suspend reading-space access for operational, safety, maintenance, or capacity reasons, without affecting your borrowing rights under the Plan.
Unless the Plan Schedule for your plan code states otherwise, Membership is limited to (a) borrowing Borrowed Items within the limits of your plan, and (b) using library space for reading during the Library’s working hours. Workshops, events, camps, screenings, stage plays, and any other programmes or activities are not included in the Membership fee and must be paid for separately, unless Ajabkhana expressly states that a particular programme is included or free for Members.
Where a plan requires proof of residency, organisational affiliation, educational or social affiliation, or founder approval, the applicable eligibility criteria and acceptable forms of proof are set out in the Plan Schedule for that plan code. Ajabkhana may refuse or suspend activation until satisfactory proof is provided.
You must provide accurate identity, contact, and (where required) proof-of-address details to register.
Ajabkhana may require a valid government-issued ID for verification and for issuing books.
Membership is personal and non-transferable. Only the registered Member may borrow items and use member benefits. Sharing of accounts or membership cards is prohibited.
Bookberry login is for users aged 18 and over. A child may be listed as an Ajabkhana library member only on a parent or lawful guardian’s Bookberry account. The Guardian must be 18 or older, accepts these Terms and the Plan Schedule on the Child Member’s behalf, and is responsible for compliance with them. The child does not receive a separate Bookberry login. No behavioural monitoring, tracking, or targeted advertising will be directed at a Child Member’s profile.
Where the primary Member is below 15 years of age, day-to-day responsibility for following Library rules — including returning Borrowed Items by the due date and being punctual for workshops and events the Member attends — rests with the parents or the adult family members whose name appears on the registration form, in addition to the Guardian obligations in Clause 4.4 where the Member is also below 18.
Membership fees and the Security Deposit are payable in full before the Membership is activated.
Payments may be made through the App or at the Ajabkhana counter, as available. App payments are processed by Bookberry’s payment provider; Ajabkhana receives the corresponding funds.
If a payment fails, is reversed, or is charged back, Ajabkhana may suspend or cancel the Membership until the amount is settled.
Prices are exclusive of taxes as indicated at checkout; applicable taxes (e.g. GST) will be charged in addition and as required by law.
Where you set up a standing payment mandate (“Auto-Debit”) via the App for automatic renewal of your Membership, a pre-debit notification stating the amount and date of the proposed charge will be sent to you before each Auto-Debit charge, in accordance with applicable payment regulations. You may cancel or modify your Auto-Debit mandate at any time through the App, your bank, or your UPI application, using the mandate cancellation process offered by that payment method.
Cancelling an Auto-Debit mandate does not by itself terminate your Membership; it only stops future automatic renewal. Your current Membership Period, and any dues already accrued, continue to be governed by these Terms.
A refundable Security Deposit (per Clause 3) is collected before borrowing privileges are enabled.
The Deposit secures your obligations to return items in good condition. Ajabkhana may deduct from the Deposit any amounts owed for lost, damaged, or unreturned items, or unpaid fines (see Clause 8).
On valid termination or expiry of Membership — provided all items are returned in acceptable condition and no dues are outstanding — the Deposit (or its remaining balance) is refunded within 15 working days, to the original payment method or as otherwise agreed.
The Security Deposit is separate from, and not affected by, the no-refund rule on membership fees in Clause 7.
Membership fees are non-refundable and non-transferable once the Membership is purchased or activated, whether or not the services are used, except where a refund is required by applicable law.
Downgrading, pausing, or early cancellation does not entitle you to a refund or credit of fees already paid.
This clause does not apply to the Security Deposit, which is governed by Clause 6.
Books must be borrowed and returned as per the borrowing limits, catalogue mix, and durations of your plan. Where your plan does not permit take-home borrowing (for example a Daily plan), you may use the collection only on the premises during working hours.
Ajabkhana strives to provide quality books for Members’ use. You must take reasonable care of every Borrowed Item and return it on time and in the condition in which it was issued (ordinary wear excepted).
Ajabkhana does not currently charge a fee for late returns. If a late-return fee is introduced in future, the applicable amount and any cap will be published in the Plan Schedule or communicated via the App, and will apply prospectively from the date of such notice, not retrospectively. Borrowing privileges may be suspended while an item remains overdue, whether or not a late fee is in effect at the time.
Lost, damaged, or unreturned items: the cost of a lost or damaged item — assessed by Ajabkhana as its replacement or market value — together with any accrued fines, will be deducted from your Security Deposit. You must top up the Security Deposit to its full amount before further borrowing is permitted. If the amount owed exceeds the Deposit, the balance is payable on demand.
“Damage” includes marking, water damage, torn or missing pages, broken bindings, and any condition materially worse than at issue, at Ajabkhana’s reasonable assessment.
You are responsible for inspecting an item at the time of issue and reporting any pre-existing damage before leaving the counter.
All Borrowed Items remain the property of Ajabkhana at all times. Your Membership grants you a personal, non-transferable right to borrow and read a Borrowed Item for the period permitted under your plan; it does not confer any ownership, resale, reproduction, distribution, public display, or other right in the Borrowed Item beyond personal reading use, except as separately permitted under applicable copyright law. You may not photocopy, scan, digitise, or commercially exploit any Borrowed Item. Neither Ajabkhana nor Bookberry is responsible for the content, accuracy, or views expressed in any Borrowed Item.
Where your plan encourages reviews, training use, or other member-created content about Borrowed Items, such creation is voluntary. Ajabkhana will not publish your content on its platforms unless you give clear permission for that specific use. Permission to publish is separate from acceptance of these Terms and may be withdrawn for future publications by notice to Ajabkhana; withdrawal does not require removal of content already lawfully published with your prior permission.
You agree to handle all Library property with care, follow reading-room and premises rules, maintain the decorum of the Library while on the premises, respect Library personnel, and not disturb other members.
Ajabkhana may refuse service, suspend, or terminate the Membership for repeated late returns, non-payment, damage, misuse of the App, misrepresentation, failure to meet plan eligibility requirements, or misconduct on the premises — without refund of fees paid.
Access to the App is subject to Bookberry’s own platform terms and acceptable-use rules.
You are responsible for keeping your account credentials secure. You are liable for activity under your account unless you have reported unauthorised access.
The App is provided “as is”. Bookberry does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation; scheduled and unscheduled downtime may occur. App unavailability does not extend borrowing periods or waive fines unless Ajabkhana agrees in writing.
Your personal data is collected and processed in accordance with the Ajabkhana / Bookberry Privacy Policy available at Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”), which is incorporated by reference and forms part of these Terms. The Privacy Policy carries its own version identifier and effective date.
Ajabkhana and Bookberry each process your data for their respective roles as described in Clause 2 — Ajabkhana as Data Fiduciary for the library service, Bookberry as Data Processor for library-service data and as Data Fiduciary for Platform-operation data.
Before your Membership is activated, you will be asked to provide clear, affirmative, and specific consent to the processing of your personal data for the purposes set out in the Privacy Policy, including transaction and borrowing records maintained for operation of the Membership. Such consent is recorded separately for each purpose where required by applicable law, and you may withdraw consent at any time by the means described in the Privacy Policy, with the consequence that Ajabkhana/Bookberry may be unable to continue providing the Membership to the extent the withdrawn consent was necessary for it.
You have the right to access, correct, and request erasure of your personal data, and to file a grievance, as set out in the Privacy Policy and Clause 18.
Ajabkhana may revise the Plan Schedule, fees, deposits, and these Terms from time to time. Each revision is issued as a new version with its own effective date.
Non-material changes (e.g. clarifications, formatting, contact-detail updates) take effect on posting to the App, the Plan Schedule link, or at the Library, and you will be notified of the update where reasonably practicable.
Material changes — including but not limited to changes in plan pricing, borrowing limits, Security Deposit amounts, or the purposes for which your personal data is processed — will not apply to your existing Membership Period until you have been notified and have given fresh, affirmative consent to the revised Plan Schedule and/or Terms. Such changes will take effect for you only from your next renewal or upon your affirmative acceptance, whichever is earlier.
Ajabkhana and Bookberry will retain a record of the Terms, Plan Schedule, and Privacy Policy version in effect for each Member at each point in time.
You may choose not to renew at the end of a Membership Period. Fees already paid remain non-refundable (Clause 7).
Ajabkhana may suspend or terminate the Membership for breach of these Terms. On termination, all Borrowed Items must be returned immediately; outstanding dues are settled against the Security Deposit per Clauses 6 and 8.
Ajabkhana and Bookberry do not independently cancel, pause, or re-trigger your Auto-Debit mandate on your behalf. If your Membership is suspended or terminated under this Clause 13, you remain responsible for separately cancelling any standing Auto-Debit mandate with your bank or UPI application to stop future charges. Suspension or termination of your Membership by Ajabkhana does not itself cancel or affect your Auto-Debit mandate.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, neither Ajabkhana nor Bookberry is liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential loss.
Bookberry’s liability is limited to matters arising from the Platform and shall not exceed the fees you paid attributable to Platform use in the preceding 3 months. Bookberry bears no liability for the physical library service, books, premises, or Ajabkhana’s acts or omissions.
Ajabkhana’s total liability in connection with the Membership shall not exceed the membership fees paid by you in the current Membership Period.
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot be excluded by law.
These Terms are governed by the laws of India, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and rules made thereunder, to the extent applicable.
The courts at Pune, Maharashtra, India shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or relating to the Membership.
If any provision of these Terms is found invalid or unenforceable by a competent court or authority, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect.
These Terms, together with the Plan Schedule and Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you, Ajabkhana, and Bookberry in relation to your Membership, and supersede any prior understanding on the same subject.
You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms. Ajabkhana and Bookberry may assign or transfer their respective rights and obligations under these Terms to a successor entity or in connection with a merger, acquisition, or transfer of business, without requiring your consent, provided your rights under these Terms are not materially diminished as a result.
These Terms may be accepted electronically, including via OTP verification, in-App acceptance, or other electronic means, and such acceptance is valid and binding to the same extent as a physical signature, in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Neither Ajabkhana nor Bookberry is liable for any failure or delay in performing their obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay results from causes beyond their reasonable control, including fire, flood, natural disaster, government order, strike, or other events of force majeure.
Where a force majeure event affects your ability to return a Borrowed Item or use reading-space access, Ajabkhana will act reasonably in applying late fees, deposit deductions, or suspension under Clauses 8 and 9 for the duration of that event.