BENGAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AT A GLANCE

With the spread of Western education, Libraries started growing in different parts of undivided India. In the 19th century, various types of libraries emerged in different parts of undivided Bengal. The Calcutta Public Library was established in 1836, followed by establishment of the one hundred more public libraries in different districts of undivided Bengal by the end of the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century necessity was felt to co-ordinate the activities of those libraries and to organize the library movements in the province. It is in this context, the All India Public Library Conference, held at Belgaon in the year 1924 under the president ship of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, adopted a resolution urging the formation of library associations in each province of India. The resolution was moved by Sushil Kumar Ghosh, a delegate from Bengal. A meeting was held in Calcutta, in Albert Hall on the 20th December, 1925. The meeting was presided over by J. A. Chapman, Librarian, Imperial Library. In this meeting All Bengal Library Association was formed with Poet Rabindranath Tagore as President. Sushil Kumar Ghosh became its first Secretary.

With the establishment of All Bengal Library Association, a province-wise library movement started gaining grounds.

In 1933 the All Bengal Library Association was renamed as Bangiya Granthagar Parishad in Bengali and Bengal Library Association in English and the All Bengal Library Conference was renamed as Bengal Library Conference.

Initially the Association had no premises for its office and for sometime it functioned from Bansberia (Hooghly District) and later got its registered office at the Calcutta University Central Library. After some years, the Association moved its office to a rented room at 29 Huzurimull Lane later in 33 Huzurimall Lane near Sealdah Railway Station. After few years the Association constructed its own building with the financial assistance from the State Government and donation received from members and well-wishers. The foundation stone of the Association building was laid by Dr. S. R. Ranganathan in 1967. Presently, the Association is housed in its four-storied building accommodating its office, library, class rooms and computer room at P134, CIT Scheme 52, Kolkata - 700 014.

The Objectives of the Association are to :

• Promote the library movement in Bengal
• Diffuse the knowledge of scientific method of maintenance and organization of libraries and to organize library talks, lectures, conferences and exhibitions.
• Print and publish any newspapers, periodicals, pamphlets, books, and leaflets, charts, posters, statistics that the Association may think desirable for the promotion of its objects
• Collect and maintain a library and museum of publications and materials pertaining to the library movement and library science.
• Promote and encourage bibliographical study and publish bibliographical information
• Work for the enactment of such legislation as would be conductive to the extension of library facilities, better utilization and administration of libraries
• Organize and conduct or help other institutions and organizations for maintaining and conducting training classes for library science or any of its nature
• Work for the betterment of service conditions and for status of library personnel.
• Promote and to establish and support and to aid in the establishment and support of other library organizations and kindred organizations engaged in promotion of education formed for all or any of the objects of the Association.
• Work for the co-ordination of library and systematization of their methods
• Help libraries in securing grants from Government and other public bodies and to help them in all possible ways.
• Conduct examination in library science and to confer or award certificates and diplomas.
• Raise donations and accept endowments for furtherance of library movement
• Serve as an information bureau in respect of library matters
• Borrow and raise money in such manner as the Association may think fit and proper for the attainment of any of the objects of the Association
• Invest any money of the Association not immediately required for any of its objects, in such manner as may from time to time, be determined.
• Purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any real or personal estate which may be deemed necessary or convenient for any of the purpose of the Association
• Construct, maintain or alter any house, buildings or works necessary or convenient for the purpose of the Association
• Take any gift or property, whether subject to any special trust or not, for any or more of the objects of the Association
• Do such other lawful things as are incidental or conductive to the attainment of the objectives

The three-tier organizational structure of the Bengal Library Association is as follows :

1. General Body
   1. All Members
2. The Council
   1. Office Bearers
   2. Executive Committee
   3. Secretaries of the districts
   4. Elected as Council Members
3. Executive Committee
   1. Office Bearers
      • One President
      • Five Vice Presidents
      • One General Secretary
      • One Joint Secretary
      • One Assistant Secretary
      • One Treasurer
      • One Editor
   2. Ten Executive Committee Members elected from Council Members

The major activities of the Association are :

• Propagating the importance of library and information services for individuals and for the society and developing awareness for the library and information services
• Suggesting measures for improvement and expansion of library services for all categories of libraries in the state
• Organizing movement for the improvement of the service conditions and proper pay and status of the library workers
• Organizing conferences and seminars for apprising people of various aspects of the library movement and library services
• Organizing training courses, refresher courses, workshops, etc. and publishing books, periodicals, reports, etc pertaining to library science and library services.

Our Libraries :

1. Library for LIS Professionals ( at Padmapukur )
   • About:
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   • Rules & Regulations:
2. Bengal Library Association Public Library ( at Salt Lake )
   • About:
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   • Rules & Regulations:

First periodical on Library Science in Bengal was published by the Bengal Library Association in 1937 as Bengal Library Association Bulletin 'Bangiya Granthagar Parishad Patrika'. It was a bilingual journal, which continued upto 1951. The Bengali journal 'Granthagar' was first published in 1951 as quarterly and continued upto 1956. Since 1956 the Association publishes a monthly journal in Bengali with English Abstract named as 'Granthagar'. Articles on Library and Information Science, memories of leading librarians, important circulars of the State and the Central Governments are published in the journal.

GRANTHAGAR AT A GLANCE

• The only monthly journal on Library and Information Science in Bengali 'Granthagar' published on 25th of every month (the second week of the Bengali Month). The yearly subscription rate is Rs. 360.00 (with postage) and price of each issue is Rs. 30.00.
• The journal may be subscribed from any month of the year. The members of the Association get the journal free.
• Articles on Library and Information Science, news on Library as well as Librarians, Book review and the opinion of the reader are published in the journal

Download Monthly Issues of Granthagar :-