SREEGOPAL BANERJEE COLLEGE LIBRARY

HISTORY OF THE LIBRARY: The college has a fairly equipped and spacious library for the different category of users for both Day and Morning Section with Reading Room facilities for students and teachers. The college also has a separate library for evening section with reading room facility for both students and teachers. The college library was started from the inception of the college with a total number of books was 605. To conduct the library services only two staff was sanctioned in the staff pattern of one Librarian and the other one was Library bearer. Sri Rudra Pr. Chakraborty was the founder librarian and Sri Kanailal Neogi was the bearer and later he became the librarian of the Day Section.

LIBRARY BUILDING: The college Library also started functioning in the school building of Ramgopal Ghosh High school. Later it shifted to the original college building but due to the space problem later it was shifted in its own building at the second floor of the extension wing. At present we are in the new and separate library building since 2005, which has been built by the donation of “Local Area development Fund” of Prof. Rupchand Pal, Member of the Parliament. It is a three storied building as proposed but now we are in its ground floor with the area of 358 sq. mts. and in 1st floor with the area of 120 sq. mts. with a total 100+ seating capacity for the users.

DEPARTMENTAL LIBRARY: In addition to the general library, every department (except the newly formed departments) has a seminar library. The seminar library has been built up with the aim of providing easy access of books to students. It contains text and reference books which are often needed by the students and they can borrow these books with permission from the departmental teachers. The functioning of the seminar library is determined by the department concerned.

INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP:  Sreegopal Banerjee College is now an institutional member of the N-LIST. Students and teachers can use the N-LIST as institutional member.

After discussion in the Library committee, books are selected by the subject teachers and Head of the respective department and the librarian is also consulting person in this process.

All sorts of technical works such as: - a) Accessioning, b) Cataloguing, c) Classification etc. are done by librarian with the help of other library staff. Books are classified according to the D.D.C- 19TH edition and in case of Bengali and Sanskrit some local method is also applied. Books are catalogued according to A. A.C.R.-II.

The library is being automated using Integrated Library Management System. For this purpose, library management software named SOUL (Software for University Libraries) had been installed in the year of 2005. In the year 2022, open-source software named Koha has been installed. It is cloud-based and Version: 22.05.04. 000. All activities like barcoding of books, the cataloguing of books, online access of catalogue (WEB-OPAC), QR code-based attendance System, etc. have been done through this software. The barcode-based circulation system is started now in the library. The library provides 24/7 access to the server with 99.9% uptime assurance. It has a 24x7x365 OPAC search facility.

Books are issued to the users on production of library lending card according to their book requisition slip for home issue. Books are also issue to the students against their reading card for reading in the library. In case of teaching and non-teaching staff users, books are issued on production of their identity card. Records are kept both in the computer and in the issue register.

• To encourage the students reading habits library publish best library users list
• Library organizes students’ orientation programme for 1st year or new students so that they become familiar with the diversity of mechanisms that the library has in store for them

Modern preservation system is not applicable due to the non-availability of modern equipments. Yet book dusting works are regularly done. Before every long vacation naphthalene, spray etc. applied in the side of the books as well as library to protect the books. Inspection of stack room and shelves done regularly to identify the damaged books and separate them for binding purpose.

Librarian has organized the library according to the needs of the various users with the help of other library staffs. Till there is a library committee headed by the Principal of the College to look after the library activities as well as the needs of the users.

• Connecting the seminar Libraries with Central Library database
• Implementation of RFID