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Indian Museum to Relocate its Library to Provide Easier Public Access from the Kyd Street Entrance

on Nov 10, 2022

The Indian Museum is thinking of moving its library which currently occupies valuable space in a corner of the archaeological area with over 50,000 volumes and journals—to a different structure next to the Asutosh Centenary Hall.

The library will be relocated so that visitors may enter on their own through the gate on Kyd Street. Director Arijit Roychoudhury stated, "We need to relocate the library so that it may operate independently of the museum hours."

Before the library is moved there, the building next to Asutosh Centenary Hall will need to be prepared.

Old issues of international periodicals from organizations like the Smithsonian Institution, the Illustrated London News, the Journal of the American Oriental Society, Anthropologist, the Journal of Archaeological Science, and many more are included in the library's unique collection.

The diaries are sitting in a damp, dark corner, neglected.

A Topographical List of the Inscriptions of Madras Presidency is one of the books mentioned, along with Mohenjodaro and Indus Valley Civilization by J. Marshall, Akbarnama and Baburnama, A Personal Narrative of a Visit to Ghazni, Kabul and Afghanistan and of a Residence at the Court of Dost Mohamed by G.T. Vigne, Humayunnama by Annette S. Beveridge, Historical Development of Jaina.

"Numerous research academics in museology, archaeology, history, and other multidisciplinary fields currently use the library. A letter of introduction from a gazetted officer must be brought by the scholars, a library employee said. For an annual charge of Rs. 50, a library card is given out, enabling users to access and use the books in the library.

The employee said, "Books are not checked out of the library.

Both donated and new books are obtained. According to the employee, a library committee selects the books to be purchased.

The majority of academics have access to historical yearly reports of the Indian Museum, which date back to April 1865, as well as those of the Archaeological Survey of India.

The employee also mentioned that old issues of the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, mummy, and Egyptology publications are popular.

When the Indian Museum reopened following the epidemic, Sayan Bhattacharya, an education official, took over the management of the library.

"The library will soon be modernized and upgraded. Moving it to a more accessible place will be the first step, according to Bhattacharya.

"We will thoroughly save the volumes when the library has been moved, and we will digitize the ancient, precious journals, yearly reports, and bulletins. The budget won't be a problem. We'll do it gradually, the director Roychoudhury promised.