STATE CENTRAL REFERENCE LIBRARY
Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation Award for the best state central library in india is given away to state central library Bangalore,Karnataka for 2000 in recognition of it's outstanding contribution to meritorious services rendered in the spread of knowledge and gearing up of library movement in the city of Bangalore in particular and in the state of karnataka in general.
The state central library is situated in the historical building Sir Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall at Cubbon Park Bangalore
The present building is one of the oldest monumental buildings having 300 Sq. meters of accommodation.This building
was built in the memory of Divan Sir Seshadri Iyer.Sir Seshadri Iyer Memorial hall is in many respects Lord Nathaniel
Curzon of Kedleston's contribution. Whose viceroyalty at the heady high noon of British imperialism in the sub continent
straddled the 19th and 20th centuries, is known for deciding on the construction of the famous Victoria
Memorial in Calcutta and Sir Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall in Bangalore.
Sir Seshadri Iyer was the Dewan of Mysore from February1883 to March 1901, the longest tenure for any Dewan
of the princely state. He died at the age of 56 in September 1901. It was in November 1902 that the Curzon wrote
to the then British Resident in the Mysore State, Sir Donald Robertson about Sir Seshadri Iyer and his services,
Sir Seshadri Iyer and his services, as a posthumous compliment to him a memorial hall to be designed in the amidst
of the greenery and flowering trees of the Cubbon park.
The hall and the bronze statue of Dewan Sir Kumarapuram Seshadri Iyer were the result of the contributions.
One of the contributors was Curzon himself who donated Rs. 500 in 1902.besids Curzon, the rich and the
common people of Mysore State, princes and prominent citizens of other states donated for the construction.
W.R. Colton sculptured the bronze statue in England in 1907. Apart from Curzon, it was Sir Donald Robertson, a
long time British Resident in Mysore State who wasinstrumental in the construction of the Memorial hall. Robertson
laid the foundation stone of the Memorial on October 1, 1903. A memorial committee consisting of prominent citizens
decided that it should be a public hall and a library. On November 20, 1913 Viceroy lord Hardinge unveiled the hall
In the year 1914 then Divan Sir M.Visveswaraiah ordered to start Public library in the said memorial Building.
The public library was managed by a Managing Committee, which was registered under Mysore registration Act.
The first president of the committee was Sri Krishanarao who was Inspector General of education. In the year
1966 this Library was taken over by the Government of Karnataka as State Central Library under the provision
of the Karnataka Public library Act and started its services to the public from 1.11.1966 i.e. on
Rajyothasva Day.
State Central Reference Library being at the Apex of the Karnataka Public Libraries system, which is governed by
State Library Authority of which the Minister incharge of Libraries will be Chairman. State Central Reference Library
also acts as Copy Right center in the state :
Copy Right Section:
According to Press and Book Registration rules of 1968, Copy Right Section of State Central Library will procure
three copies of books (books on any subject or any language) published in Karnataka. It is the duty of publisher/
author to bestow three copies of a title to the copy right section for registration. State Central Reference Library will
forward a copy of such title to Parliament Library, Delhi and National Library, Calcutta respectively. A catalogue
containing detailed bibliographical information of copy right section books will be prepared and circulated to
different libraries in the state. Public may also refer these books in the state Central Reference library.
DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF STATE CENTRAL LIBRARY:
State bureau of
copyright collection
State library for the
blind
State library for
technical services
State library for
bibliographical bureau
State library for
career information
State library for
inter library loan
State library for
reference and information
State library for
children
Computer services
RESUME OF THE STATE CENTRAL
REFERENCE LIBRARY:
Name of the library:……State Central Reference Library
Address:……………….Sir Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Hall
…………………………………Cubbon park
…………………………BANGALORE-560001
………………………………….KARNATAKA
…………………………………INDIA
Phone Numbers:……………… 2212128 & 2293401
E Mail:……………………… bngscl@kar.nic.in
Date of establishment:………1.11.1966
Controlling authority:………..Sri P.Y. Rajendra Kumar
……………………………… Director
SERVICES
Bibliographical Services
Reprographic Services
Audio-visual Services
Braille services
Reference & Information services
Children's services
Technical services
Inter library loan services
Career information services
Computer services
Total number of books: ……………………………… 2.48
Lakhs
Average number of visitors per day: …………………...7.03 lakhs
Average number of books
consulted per day: ………… 2000
Average number Children Visitors per day: ………… 80
Total number of books
in copyright section: …………..1,10,436
Total number of
newspapers & periodicals subscribed: Rs. 48.67 Lakhs
News papers 36
Fortnightly 21
Weeklies 49
Monthly 110
Bi-Monthly 6
Quarterly 19
Half yearly 2
Timings of the library: ………...9 A.M. to 7
P.M.
Entry: ………………………….Free
Holiday: ……………………….Monday
& other Govt. Holidays