Cooch Behar wants library glory restored

Cooch Behar wants library glory restored

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=10&theme=&usrsess=1&id=256403
;Statesman News Service COOCH BEHAR, 1 JUNE: A demand to restore the Cooch Behar State Library(picture right) to its former status is growing in Cooch Behar. The library was established by the Rajahs of Cooch Behar in 1870 and renamed the North Bengal State Library after its amalgamation with the district library in 1969. Being a state library, the institution enjoyed ‘A grade’ status before its amalgamation, but was dropped to ‘B’ grade after the merger. Claims to reinstate the library to its former status have so far fallen on deaf ears.The library is exceptional. Besides rare manuscripts, it has over 84,000 books, of which 16,000 are rare and can be anything between 100 to 200 years old.The institution, however, has some problems. The existing index card system is proving insufficient to trace the large number of books and so computerisation looks like a necessity. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Kolkata, a Central government unit, has digitised about 4,000 rare Bengali books belonging to the library, but the vast collection of English books is yet to be digitised.The state governor Mr Gopal Krishna Gandhi had visited the North Bengal State Library on 6 May. During his short visit, the governor had asked the librarian Mr Ranu Dey about the age-old manuscripts and rare books in the library and how they were being preserved.Mr Gandhi asked the librarian to submit a detailed report on the condition of the library, including its staff pattern and the requirement of annual funds for the purchasing of furniture and books and preservation of rare books and manuscripts. The librarian Mr Ranu Dey responded that - following the governor's wish - a report had been submitted to the state government a few days ago.It was learnt that the NBSL receives about Rs 50,000 a year for buying books, newspapers and magazines. It also receives Rs 5,000 for binding, preservation and maintenance of the books, but their requirement is much more. Of the sanctioned 12 posts, two have been vacant for a long time.