NATIONAL LIBRARY
The National Library, India is the largest library in the country. It is an institution of national importance under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The library is designated to collect, disseminate and preserve the printed material produced in the country. The library is situated on a scenic 30 acres Belvedere Estate, in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta
· The history of the National Library began with the formation of Calcutta Public Library in 1836. That was a non-governmental institution and was run on a proprietary basis. People contributing INR 300 in subscription became the proprietors. Prince “Dwarkanath Tagore” was the first proprietor of that Library. The Calcutta Public Library had a unique position as the first public library in this part of the world. Such a well-organized and efficiently run library was rare even in Europe during the first half of the 19th century.
· The Imperial Library (Built after the model of the Town Hall at Ypres. A fine example of the Public Buildings in Calcutta) was formed in 1891 by combining a number of Secretariat libraries in Calcutta.
In 1903, Lord Curzon, the Governor-General of India, conceived the idea of opening a library for the use of the public. He noticed both the libraries—Imperial Library and Calcutta Public Library were under-utilized because of limited access and lack of amenities. He decided to amalgamate the rich collection of both of these libraries.
Ø The new amalgamated library, called Imperial Library, was formally opened to the public on 30 January 1903 at Metcalfe Hall, Kolkata. Metcalfe Hall had earlier been the residence of the Governor-Generals Wellington, Cornwallis and Warren Hastings.
“ "It is intended that it should be a library of reference, a working place for students and a repository of material for the future historians of India, in which, so far as possible, every work written about India, at any time, can be seen and read." ”
— The Gazette of India
After Independence the Government of India changed the name of the Imperial Library to the National Library, with the enactment of the Imperial Library (Change of Name) Act, 1948, and the collection was shifted from the Esplanade to the present Belvedere Estate. On 1 February 1953, the National Library was opened to the public, inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. B. S. Kesavan was appointed the first Librarian of the National Library.
Aims of the National Library, India
v Acquisition and conservation of all significant national production of printed material, excluding ephemera.
v Collection of printed material concerning the country, no matter where it is published, and as a corollary, the acquisition of photographic records of such material that is not available with in the country
v Acquisition and conservation of foreign material required by the country.
v Rendering of bibliographical and documents services of current and retrospective material, both general and specialised.
v Acting as a referral centre purveying full and accurate knowledge.
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